Man City will complete transfers before Club World Cup, says Al Mubarak
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak is seen before the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo
(Reuters) - Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has promised the club will be ready with a new squad in time for the FIFA Club World Cup and that their transfer moves will be very swift.
Premier League clubs agreed to open a pre-Club World Cup transfer window, opens new tab on June 1 for 10 days to allow teams to sign players before the tournament.
"We have clearly identified who exactly are the targets, in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option," Al Mubarak said in an interview with City's club media channels.
"And we'll go about our business and it will be very clear, very swift. And our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup."
City face Wydad AC in their first game of the tournament on June 18.
The team, bidding for a fifth successive Premier League title, suffered a mid-season free fall and finished third in the table, not securing a Champions League berth until the final day of the season.
Al Mubarak admitted City had not been successful in last summer's transfer window.
"Last summer, we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do," Al Mubarak said.
"We didn't do that and that ended up costing us this year. We already started that rebuild of this team in January."
City brought in Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Nico Gonzalez during the January window.
They lost to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, however, and ended the season without a trophy for the first time since 2016-17.
"I think all the players, they're excited, they're excited about coming back. Nobody feels good about how we finished the season," Al Mubarak said.
"They want to come back hungry. And I can see the hunger. I was speaking to Rodri as an example, he's looking for games. Erling (Haaland) didn't want to go on vacation."
Spanish midfielder Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, suffered a serious knee injury in September and did not return to action until the season's final two games.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Maresca accepts Chelsea were second best in Flamengo loss
"Six minutes completely changed the dynamic of the game," Maresca said after Flamengo came from behind to lead 2-1 with two quickfire goals just after the hour mark before Jackson's red card left Chelsea down to 10 men. Pedro Neto gave the Blues an early lead at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, but Bruno came off the bench to equalise for Flamengo and then set up Danilo to make it 2-1. Jackson, who had come on as a substitute, was then dismissed for a dangerous tackle on Ayrton Lucas and Flamengo made the most of the extra man as Wallace Yan wrapped up their win late on. It was Jackson's second red card in a short space of time after he was also sent off in a 2-0 Premier League loss at Newcastle United just over a month ago. He had started Friday's game on the bench as Liam Delap made a first start for his new club, and the former Ipswich Town player could now have a chance to establish himself as Maresca's first choice up front. "The red card is nothing to do with Nico's future," said Maresca, who also revealed that Jackson had apologised to his teammates in the dressing room. "He had the first one at Newcastle when Liam wasn't even here and another one today. Today I am not sure 100 percent that it was a red card, but Nico knows very well that in both situations it was not something good for the team." Chelsea's hopes of qualifying for the last 16 at FIFA's new competition remain in the balance as they have three points from two games in Group D. They are three points behind Flamengo and will face Esperance of Tunisia in their last group outing in Philadelphia next Tuesday. Maresca seemed unperturbed by his team's situation at the Club World Cup and said they had used the match to prepare for the next Premier League season. "For the first time we played in a different structure today, just to prepare also next season, to have more options," he said of the 4-3-3 formation which featured captain Reece James alongside Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in midfield. Cole Palmer played on the right of a front three and struggled to make any impact on the game in the mid-afternoon heat. "Today the plan was different, I think the plan was quite good for one hour. Then we conceded the goal and then the second one. "I think in the end, and also with 10 men, they deserved to win the game." The Italian added: "We expected a tough game because Flamengo is a very good team, with good players and a good manager. "They play very well, and in Brazil they are top of the league, unbeaten for many games, so it was not a surprise for us." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Benfica knock out Auckland in Club World Cup romp
With the Portuguese side leading by a goal at half-time the match was suspended because of a storm, eventually resuming two hours later. Auckland of New Zealand, the only Oceania Football Confederation representatives at the tournament, were thrashed 10-0 by Bayern Munich in their Group C opener and this defeat means they are eliminated. Despite their eventual collapse, Auckland battled hard in the first half and almost made it to the break unscathed. Auckland goalkeeper Nathan Garrow made several good saves to keep Benfica at bay and the Portuguese side grew frustrated. Benfica took the lead deep into first half stoppage time when Gianluca Prestianni was clumsily felled in the area by Haris Zeb. Di Maria, who converted a spot-kick in the opening 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors, sent Garrow the wrong way. At half-time the match became the fourth in the last four days at the tournament to be impacted by a suspension for adverse conditions, with a storm arriving at the Inter&CO Stadium. When play eventually resumed, Benfica came back out strongly. Vangelis Pavlidis bundled his way through and smashed home to double Bruno Lage's team's lead in the 53rd minute, with Renato Sanches netting the third 10 minutes later from outside the box with a deflected effort. Luxembourg midfielder Leandro Barreiro bagged a brace to expand Benfica's lead, tucking home at the back post from Pavlidis' cross for the fourth before netting from close range. Nikko Boxall brought down Di Maria in stoppage time and the Argentine World Cup winner beat Garrow from the spot again to wrap up Benfica's emphatic triumph. Later Friday German giants Bayern Munich take on Argentine outfit Boca Juniors in the other Group C match. Find more details on group standings, match schedules, and competition statistics. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
6 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
CAF Announces 2025/2026 Champions League & Confederation Cup Dates
Rana Atef The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the 2025 editions of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup will kick off in September 2025, due to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) being held in August. CAF Sets Tournament Schedule as Follows: Preliminary Round 1 First Leg: September 19–21, 2025 Second Leg: September 26–28, 2025 Preliminary Round 2 First Leg: October 17–19, 2025 Second Leg: October 24–26, 2025 Group Stage Matchday 1: November 21–23, 2025 Matchday 2: November 28–30, 2025 Matchday 3: January 23–25, 2026 Matchday 4: January 30 – February 1, 2026 Matchday 5: February 6–8, 2026 Matchday 6: February 13–15, 2026 Quarter-finals First Leg: March 13–15, 2026 Second Leg: March 20–22, 2026 Semi-finals First Leg: April 10–12, 2026 Second Leg: April 17–19, 2026 Final To be held between May 8 and May 24, 2026 Player Registration Windows Set by CAF: First registration period (for Preliminary Round 1): August 1–31, 2025 Second registration period (for Preliminary Round 2): September 1–30, 2025 Registration period for Group Stage: October 1–31, 2025 Final registration period (for remainder of group stage & knockout rounds): January 1–31, 2026 read more Japan Stun Spain 2-1 to Qualify for World Cup Last 16 World Cup 2022: Get to Know Confirmed Line-ups of Japan and Spain Group E Decider Saudi Arabia Bid Farewell to World Cup after 2-1 Loss to Mexico Tunisia Achieve Historic Win over France but Fail to Qualify Tunisia to Clash against France in World Cup Sports Get to Know Squad of Group D Teams in World Cup Sports Al Ahly Gift EGP 70,000 to Players After Claiming Egyptian Super Cup Title Sports Bencharki Hits First 2 Goals with Al Jazira Since Leaving Zamalek Sports Arsenal Possible Line-up for Nottingham Forest News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
