Manchester City’s spending spree has warped the Premier League

Manchester City may well become Premier League champions for a third time this season, and they are playing great football on their quest to do so. But it is, of course, coming at a cost.

The club is currently pushing through a deal with Wolfsburg to sign Kevin De Bruyne. Sources say the proposed transfer will go through for around $75 million. If it does, City will have spent over $200 million in transfer fees this summer.

SEE MORE: Wolfsburg chief hints that Kevin de Bruyne move to Manchester City hinges on bigger offer.

The Belgian is expected to receive a salary of (wait for it) $387,000 a week. What has De Bruyne done to justify such a wage? A Chelsea reject. He went to Wolfsburg for $27 million and, in two seasons, won the DFB Pokal Cup … and that’s it. How did his transfer fee rise another $50 million? Has the world gone literally mad?

How can any team compete with that? And is City simply buying their way to a league title?

Whilst it’s true that the norm now to go and win the league is to spend at least $100 million, City has simply upped the ante. It all leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Let’s look at what that $200 million will have brought the club. First up was Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling, a player that electrified the Reds when he partnered Luis Suarez. However Sterling had a very normal nine months last season. True, he has pace, but he also loses possession far too easily.

SEE MORE: Latest summer transfer window deals.

Sterling, in signing for City, became the seventh most expensive player in soccer history, and he has yet to win a trophy.

Fabian Delph came in for $13 million, which seems a snip from Aston Villa. However Delph better get used to warming the bench. It would be a surprise with the gallery of players on show if he gets much playing time.

Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia does look like a great deal. The talented defender who likes to come forward and was so important for the Spanish side was snapped up for around $54 million.

Manuel Pellegrini, the Manchester City manager, will be rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of the club having such a war chest to plow on players. Here is a manager that, according to most media, is on a stay of execution. It was heavily favored that the Chilean would be sacked in the summer, but it never happened, partly because no one else was around to take his place.

SEE MORE: ESPN FC to deliver expansive Transfer Deadline Day coverage on Tuesday.

So far City is the only team in the Premier League with a 100 percent record, and they have yet to concede a goal.

City might win the league in style but they cannot escape the fact that they have spent close to a quarter of a billion dollars doing it. How can that sit comfortably with anyone, least with their own fans?