Salomon Kalou

So far this summer Roberto Mancini has spent over £70million on improving his squad, bringing in Yaya Toure, David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov.

City’s spending is only likely to increase in the weeks before the transfer window shuts with Inter Milan’s Mario Balotelli expected to complete his move to Eastlands before the summer is out.

Fernando Torres has also been linked with City as they look to capture their first Premier League title.

Since the Abu Dhabi United Group brought City in 2008 the club have spent hundreds of millions on new players without any success to show for their heavy investment.

Last season the club missed out on their overall goal of reaching the Champions League, instead being pipped at the last fence by Tottenham (3/1 to finish in the top four again).

This season Mancini has tipped his side to challenge for the top honour in the Premier League, indicating that this could be City’s breakthrough season.

However, several of City’s rivals have already dismissed their title challenge, claiming that you can’t buy the title.

The latest player to come out and do so is Kalou, who believes that money doesn’t always equal success.

He said: “Just because you bring in 10 new players every year doesn’t mean you are going to finish top of the table.

“City did the same thing last season and finished fifth and I am not sure if they’ll be any stronger this time.

“Spending a lot of money on new signings doesn’t guarantee anything. City have to remember there are still teams like Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Liverpool and Arsenal who will always be at the top.

“And this year we will all be up there fighting for the title again.”

While Kalou is adamant City (9/2 Premier League winners) won’t be able to buy the title it wasn’t so long ago that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich ploughed large sums of cash into the Blues to help them win their first Premier League crown.

However, this year the Blues have cut back on their spending, so far only bringing in Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool to strengthen their first team.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed his current squad to do the business again next season having seen them do the domestic double in the last campaign.

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