Manchester City have generated the highest sales in a calendar year in Premier League history should Ferran Torres' £55 million fee be taken into account, as per a new report.
The Premier League champions balanced the books somewhat after their £100 million signing of Jack Grealish with the sale of Ferran Torres to Barcelona.
Pep Guardiola's side retained the Premier League title last term and reached the Champions League semi-final for the third time in the club's history.
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However, as they look to challenge on all fronts this season, the Blues have introduced wholesale changes in the first-team squad and have done well to recuperate funds by selling a number of key players.
Fernandinho departed the Etihad Stadium this summer to conclude an incredible nine-year spell that saw the Brazilian won a plethora of titles under Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola.
The three eye-catching exits elsewhere were those of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Oleksandr Zinchenko - each of whom had under two years remaining on their respective City contracts heading into the new season.
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Sterling bid farewell to the Premier League champions after seven seasons as he joined Chelsea for £47.5 million - a value representing shrewd selling business by City.
Jesus made his way to north London in a £45 million switch to Arsenal before Zinchenko followed the Brazilian through the door at the Emirates Stadium for £32 million.
There were further departures - with fees ranging from £1 million for CJ Egan-Riley to £15 million for Gavin Bazunu.
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Whilst bringing in Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Kalvin Phillips and Stefan Ortega this summer, City have managed to generate a record amount of sales in a calendar year in Premier League history.
As reported by Martin Blackburn of the Sun, the Blues raised a record amount in a calendar year in the history of the British game - if the £55 million that Barcelona paid City for Ferran Torres back in January is taken into account.
City have surpassed the £166 million mark which Chelsea earned back in 2017.
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The record-breaking total may continue to rise as academy forward Samuel Edozie continues to be highly sought after by Bayer Leverkusen and Southampton.
The Saints have already acquired Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia from City earlier in the window so there is more than an established line of communications between the two sides.
If the German side do complete the signing of Edozie, City could take up their net sale figure to £184 million.
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Pep Guardiola, Ferran Torres, Barcelona, Raheem Sterling, Chelsea, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus
Declan Harris