United vs City is the £545m game: Player price tags prove Manchester is football's super power ahead of crucial derby

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Manchester United host rivals Manchester City in huge derby on Sunday
Man City are likely to recall captain Vincent Kompany for crunch clash
Manchester is a great northern powerhouse to rival Chelsea and Co
Anthony Martial cost £58m for United and Kevin De Bruyne cost City £55m

Published: 17:03 EST, 24 October 2015 | Updated: 04:37 EST, 25 October 2015

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If China President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Etihad Stadium was not enough, the price tags on display at Old Trafford on Sunday are proof that Manchester is now a great northern powerhouse to rival all others.

The combined transfer fees for those starting Sunday afternoon’s 170th Mancunican derby is set to be £545.6million, a Premier League record. And that is without the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Samir Nasri, Marouane Fellaini, Luke Shaw and Nicolas Otamendi, who cost an additional £152m.

Placed alongside the economic hardship of many families the figures are obscene but, taken purely in sporting terms, the spending spree by both Manchester clubs has been necessary to meet the challenges of the super-clubs in London; Chelsea financed by Roman Abramovich’s billions and Arsenal, whose wealthy supporters pay the highest ticket prices in the country.

Manchester United's £58million striker Anthony Martial celebrates after scoring against Liverpool last month

The probable teams in the Manchester derby on Sunday: This is the £545m game

Kevin De Bruyne has impressed for Manchester City since making the £55m switch from Wolfsburg

United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward believes the only thing worse than being criticised for over-spending is not being talked about at all. Undeterred by the failure of record £60m signing Angel di Maria, he signed off a £36m deal for the virtually unknown French youngster Anthony Martial this summer, which will rise to a potential £58m with bonuses.

Right now it looks an inspired piece of financial speculation, with the 19-year-old scoring five goals in his first nine matches.

City, meanwhile, unashamedly bounced back from UEFA financial fairplay restrictions by this summer paying £44m for Raheem Sterling — it could rise to £49m. And there has been £55m for Kevin De Bruyne and £32m for a centre-half in Nicolas Otamendi.

City defender Pablo Zabaleta, who arrived from Espanol on the first day of the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008 for just £6.5m, says his club have had no option but to spend, spend, spend.

‘Football is like that. If you want to bring in big players you have to pay crazy money sometimes,’ he said. ‘With today’s TV contracts, you have two teams in Spain who can pay the money, a few teams in England, Bayern Munich in Germany. All the big clubs can sign the big players but have to pay big fees. It is the only way you can bring them in.’

Wayne Rooney (left) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (right) take part in Man United training earlier this week

Certainly the arrival of Sterling and De Bruyne have given City a shot of adrenalin after last season’s relative humdrum campaign. The club have scored 11 goals in their last two Premier League matches and are firm favourites to win their third title in five seasons.

‘You have to bring those type of young, exciting players in to lift the squad because we want to win trophies every year,’ said Zabaleta. ‘We want to be a success in Europe as well.’

It is manager Manuel Pellegrini’s job to manage the egos and make difficult selection decisions. On Sunday he is likely to recall captain Vincent Kompany, and has to decide if Otamendi or the even more expensive £42m Eliaquim Mangala will make way for the Belgium international.

Man City defender Pablo Zabaleta says the club have had no option but to spend, spend, spend

City are likely to recall captain Vincent Kompany to the starting line-up at Old Trafford on Sunday

With a new £5billion television deal starting next season, he sees no alternative but to pay the going rate so Premier League viewers do not see all the best talent drift off to Barcelona or Real Madrid.

‘When you are selling your TV rights for the amounts the Premier League is getting, filling your stadiums to 95 per cent capacity every week and being seen around the world, it is important to give a good show,’ said Pellegrini. ‘If you compare the TV rights money of previous eras to the amounts coming in now, the cost of the players has gone up in a similar way.’

A decade ago, it seemed as if the nouveau riche Abramovich-Jose Mourinho axis at Chelsea would kill off the post-industrial north. Sir Alex Ferguson called it his biggest challenge. Sunday's United manager Louis van Gaal can afford to be more relaxed. He claims every player he wants to sign is happy to end up at Old Trafford and says the same can be said for City.

Chris Smalling wheels away in jubilation after scoring against City in the 4-2 derby win for United last season

‘I do know that all the players want to come to Manchester United. And I think also to Manchester City, I don’t think there is a difference,’ he said.

It all adds particular interest to which of them will come out on top on Sunday. City are weakened by the loss of Aguero and Silva. To counter that, United had a long trip to CSKA Moscow in the week, while City were buoyed by a late winner against Sevilla at The Etihad.

United won last season’s fixture 4-2. ‘A massive defeat for us,’ said Zabaleta. Van Gaal’s memories are more pleasant. ‘I drunk a fantastic glass of wine after that,’ he said.

With United only two points behind their rivals, the rewards on Sunday could be even greater.