Platini hopes to curb big spenders

Manchester City and Paris St Germain have been carried to the summit of the Premier League and Ligue 1 respectively on the back of the vast wealth of their middle eastern owners.

Platini told French broadcaster RTL: "The philosophy is that you cannot spend more money than you generate. It is not just PSG at the top of the French league. You also have Manchester City at the top of the English league with their Arab owners. We are in the process of studying the accounts, and we will see what we can do."

He added: "If you set the rules for everyone, they have to apply for specific clubs."

City's 6-1 derby win over Manchester United on Sunday took them five points clear of their city rivals, and came courtesy of two goals apiece from Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko and one each from Sergio Aguero and the inspirational David Silva - the reported fees paid for the quartet total around £115million.

PSG, under new owners Qatar Sports, launched a summer spree which saw players such as midfield stars Javier Pastore and Jeremy Menez and Uruguay captain Diego Lugano arrive at the Parc des Princes, along with former AC Milan and Inter Milan coach Leonardo as sporting director.

They top the table by three points after 11 games of the Ligue 1 season, with Pastore having scored five goals in nine games and Kevin Gameiro - a big-money arrival from Lorient shortly before the takeover - eight in 11. Such financial largesse risks falling foul of UEFA's new Financial Fair play regulations, which require clubs to only spend what they earn.

Former England midfielder David Beckham was another name linked with ambitious PSG over the summer and is widely expected to arrive this winter after his Los Angeles Galaxy contract expires.

Platini continued: "I'm not worried about that. I think it will be good for the shops.

"For football, at 36? I like David Beckham a lot. I think he has been a good footballer, but he is no longer the player he was so if he comes it will be for other reasons aside from football."

Source: PA

Source: PA