Our last editorial of 2008 talked about Manchester City and unfortunately, unless you are from the blue half of Manchester, they are the hot topic again going into 2009.
Despite languishing only two points about the relegation zone at the time of writing, City's infinite wealth means the fans at Eastlands are thinking only of multi-million pound signings this month, rather than a relegation dog fight.
City have been linked with over 60 names of possible signings this January and none of them is more exciting than the proposed the proposed world-recorded breaking swoop for Kaka, the 26-year-old Brazilian playmaker.
The Manchester City assistant manager Mark Bowen believes his club are "very close" to a 100m euro deal for the player, which would sent shock waves through the world of football if it were to materialise. The player is thought to be keen on a move too, if Milan are willing to sell him. Kaka's adviser Diogo Kotscho has stressed that if any transfer to City did happen, it would for "the right reasons," not just the reported £500k a week wage packet.
Like everyone else, I'm still struggling to get my head round the figures in question here. While Kaka is possibly the best footballer in the world, he is in essence, just that.... a footballer. While any fan would dream of their club signing a player like that, at any price, the simple maths of the situation seem pretty distasteful in a wider context than football. What difference would £100m make to the lives of thousands of under-privileged people in Kaka's homeland for example?
The bottom line is that if City can spend this money on the transfer and wages, they will. We shouldn't point an accusing finger at them, or Kaka for that matter, whatever sums are involved. Football as a whole should have greater power to govern a cap on the money spent on transfers, maybe even on wages. That is a debate for another day.
My only hope is, and I'm not a City fan, that this type of transfer isn't damaging to the long-term future of the club or football in general. Commenting on the potential Kaka move to Eastlands, Alan Shearer remarked to BBC Sport "My worry is in three, four or "
That would be my concern too. What happens if Abu Dhabi United leave Manchester City or Roman Abramovich decides to leave Chelsea? Will the rich owners leave a legacy to ensure the club's survivals upon their departure? Or will they be left to pay wages unsustainable to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City without their billionaires?
Until one of these big owners goes, will won't know the ramifications.
For the short term, the Kaka deal could be good news however. £100m will ultimately go from the pockets of Manchester City's investors, rather than the club, to AC Milan. This is turn will be spent by Milan, thus boosting football economies across Europe £100m is a figure that no club in the world, accept City, can afford to pay. Thus transfer fees involving other clubs should remain as they are at the moment – astronomical, but not £100m astronomical.
And after we have all managed to pick our mouths back of the floor if this move does happen, thoughts of the obscenity of the transfer can be replaced with feelings of sheer jealousy towards Manchester City.
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