United buys spark off City spending

Manchester United's spending may have shown a clear sign of their intent, but it could just spur arch-rivals Manchester City into transfer action of their own.

City, notoriously big-spenders since they were taken over by Sheikh Mansour, have been uncharacteristically quiet all summer.
While United have already landed Ashley Young and Phil Jones, for a combined fee in the excess of £30million, and Liverpool have signed Jordan Henderson for £20m, City are yet to make any purchases of their own.
The only player they have been heavily linked to is Udinese forward Alexis Sanchez, but they look likely to lose out to Barcelona for his services.
However, United's transfer activity could just awaken a sleeping giant, with City tipped to start landing big-money purchases of their own.
The Sun reports that both Palermo's Javier Pastore and Werder Bremen's Marko Marin have now been earmarked by City as ideal additions, and while both are not likely to come cheap, City have almost no financial restraints of any sort.
Marin has been linked to Tottenham and Liverpool in recent times, and has revealed he turned down the chance to move to Anfield.
However, with the cash City will be able to offer him, it remains to be seen if he will be willing to hold out and remain with a side who surprisingly struggled in the German Bundesliga this season.
Pastore, on the other hand, has made no secret that he is undecided over his future, and Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has confirmed several enquiries have been made regarding their talented playmaker.
"I spoke with Pastore's agent this week and there are six or seven clubs on him," Zamparini said, according to The Sun.
"He is destined for a great team and will head to Spain or England."
With the transfer window open all the way till August, it is unlikely that the period will close before City land one or two big-name signings of their own.