Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has quipped that Pep Guardiola travels to see Sheikh Mansour and shows him videos of a transfer target to get the green light to make a big-money signing for Manchester City.
Guardiola was Bayern head coach for three years from 2013 to 2016, winning three Bundesliga titles and two DFB Pokal trophies, and is seemingly still in touch with Hoeness.
And the 67-year-old has now claimed that the Spaniard has told him that he flies over to see City owner Sheikh Mansour when he is eager to push through a big transfer, showing him video clips of the player in action.
"My friend Pep told me what happens when he wants a player who costs €100 million. He gets some videos of the player and flies to see the Sheikh," Hoeness told MMM.
"Then there is an opulent meal, you look over the videos and the Sheikh transfers the sum [needed to complete the deal]. The next day the Sheikh turns the gas on a few millimetres further and he has the money back.
"I'm proud that in such cases we [Bayern] aren't going to the credit department but the bank's fixed-income department [instead]."
City are expected to be active in the summer transfer window, with the Premier League champions looking to strengthen three to four positions.
Guardiola's side are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt, while Ben Chilwell is also being assessed as a potential option at left-back.
City and their spending has been under scrutiny in recent years, while they've come under the microscope of UEFA after Der Spiegel and MediaPart, in conjunction with Football Leaks, alleged they broke a number of rules in a bid to circumvent Financial Fair Play regulations.
European football's governing body announced earlier in March that its Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) is investigating the Premier League leaders, with there being the suggestion they could face a transfer ban.
Guardiola, though, has remained unfazed at the prospect, telling reporters: "I am not the right guy to talk about what the club says," he said. "They [the owners] don't call me and explain what they are doing.
"I am concerned about what I have to do, I cannot speak every day about this. What is going to happen is going to happen."
When asked if City's squad would be good enough as it is should a transfer ban be enforced, the Spaniard responded: "Of course. It is good, it's really good."
Next up for City after the international break is an away meeting with Fulham, with the champions currently second in the Premier League table, two points behind Liverpool although with a game in hand.