true but if a plethora of clubs are after a certain player (assuming the wages are the same) that player will undoubtedly pick a more successful team.
I haven't noticed Man City have any problems.
There are lots of factors but using Parky's example if I was a player and had the choice of Bolton or Man City (pre season, even before Sven arrived) I would say joining Bolton would be the wrong move, even though they had european football.
This would be due to the size of crowd, potential, history etc at City outweighing a few games against some Estonians at Bolton