Arsenal Players Join Manchester City to Win Trophies

Since the 2009 takeover of Manchester City by Abu Dhabi United group, four players have made the journey from North London to East Manchester.

Yesterday, Arsene Wenger accused his previous players of moving for purely fiscal reasons.

"No, it's not that [players have to leave to win titles]. The problem isn't that. Frankly, if you compare what Manchester City have won in the past and what Arsenal have won, then you don't go to Manchester City to win titles. Players go to Manchester City because they pay much better than Arsenal.”

There is an element of truth to this, but it has now become quite outdated; Manchester City is now a very different proposition to the club that saw Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor join in 2009.

Whereas Robinho could look forward to playing alongside the likes of Darius Vassell, Ched Evans and Benjamin Mwaruwari, Samir Nasri now counts David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko as his attacking partners. Gael Clichy joined last season’s tightest defence—one which conceded only 33 goals in 38 league matches.

The contrast is striking. To believe that any player would be joining a team featuring World Cup, European Cup and Champions League winners, without the intention of winning silverware, is naive at best.

Following Toure and Adebayor’s departure to City in summer 2009, Clichy gave an interview reminiscent of Wenger’s recent opinion.

"I really think if you are a player who thinks only about money then you could end up at Manchester City. You have to think if you want to play for a big club and have your image, or if you want to play for a good club and earn big money."

The footballing landscape has changed significantly since then, however. Arsenal looked on with envious eyes as City lifted the FA Cup in May, as the Gunners' own trophy drought increased with a collapse versus Birmingham City in the League Cup. Manchester City eventually finished above Arsenal, sealing automatic Champions League qualification in the process.

Clichy gave a recent interview in which he spoke of the importance of the squad created in Manchester, and how it will help him progress his career:

"I joined City because I wanted to win a lot of things. [Last season] started well and we just collapsed at the end of the season after the [Carling Cup] final. Things can happen and you see the importance of having a big squad.

“As a team you need a big squad if you want to go a long way. That's why I joined City—because I wanted to win a lot of things. You always progress with competition [for places].”

As City currently sit on top of the Barclays Premier League, on 22 points, with Arsenal this weekend only breaking into the top half, on 10, it has been so far, so good for Clichy and Nasri. With Nasri’s six assists in six games matching his total number from Arsenal’s previous two seasons.

Nasri himself has hit back at his critics, insisting the calibre of the players now present at Manchester City is a colossal lure.

"We will see at the end of the season when we will lift a trophy, we will talk about my choice again and we will show everyone who was thinking about money that they were wrong. When you see the investment of the last three seasons you see they bring some muscle and real quality players.

"World-class players are not scared to come to Man City and you can see that with Sergio Aguero. I'm confident we can win a trophy because I saw the quality on the pitch.

"I said it was a club of the future and I am still convinced of that."