By Tariq Panja

Premier League soccer clubs will probably cut spending on new players in January, with only the billionaire owners of Manchester City in a position to splurge, industry executives say.

Teams are facing tighter credit from banks and some, including England’s Middlesbrough and Blackburn, have cut ticket prices to keep attracting fans as the European economy stalls. The Abu Dhabi group that bought City in September has vowed to buy more “superstar” players after signing Robinho for a record 32.5 million pounds ($47.6 million) from Real Madrid.

“If there are not a lot of buyers out there you don’t have the liquidity to move the market,” said Dan Jones, head of the sports business group at accountant Deloitte & Touche LLP. “Man City could be catalysts.”

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