Manchester City can be cleverer with their transfer spending by investing in youth projects, claims former Premier League and City defender Michael Ball.

After breaking the bank and smashing the British transfer record by signing Jack Grealish for £100million, City move their total spending to almost £1billion under manager Pep Guardiola – who took over at the club just five years ago.

The starting XI in their opening game of the season, which ended in defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, cost the club around £550million.

But how much more can they spend?

After being heavily linked to another big-money signing for the signature of Harry Kane, former England international Michael Ball feels like they could go down a different route, exclusively telling Read Man City:

“Yes [Man City] they are wealthy, but can they be a bit cleverer? They have done so in the past by getting [Gabriel] Jesus in at a young age and bringing him on, but can they go on and do it again?”

Pep Guardiola signed Jesus for £27m from Palmeiras when he was just 19 years of age and the Brazilian international has gone on to score 82 goals and produce 34 assists in 196 appearances.

With him as their only major striker at the club right now, it could be worthwhile for City to save some money and invest in a longer-term project for the future – just like they did with Jesus five years ago.