Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has alleged that up to nine clubs wrote to the Premier League requesting that the defending champions be suspended.

This was said by Guardiola in response to Chelsea's January transfer window spending spree.

The Blues have added new players for more than €600 million since the summer transfer window.

That included a record transfer worth €120 million for Enzo Fernandez from Benfica, with seven other players added to Graham Potter’s squad throughout the last month.

When asked what the reaction would be if City spent the same amount, Guardiola replied, “I know what would happen."

“What Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and United have without good players, you have to spend." Now the market is "wow..

“There are regulations; I don’t forget the eight or nine teams that sent a letter to the Premier League to get us banned." "We are the fifth team in net spending.”