Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Manchester City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has expressed confidence and optimism about the future of the club despite a season that fell short of their recent high standards. In his annual end-of-season interview, Al Mubarak acknowledged the disappointment of not defending the Premier League title and a poor showing in the UEFA Champions League, but emphasised the club’s commitment to learn, adapt, and come back stronger.
“This season is a season that’s now behind us,” said Al Mubarak. “And we will take all the good things and the not so good things from this season and learn from them and improve them and get better.”
This season’s campaign marked a rare dip in what has otherwise been an era of dominance for City under manager Pep Guardiola. The team, which had captured a historic treble the previous season, finished third in the league and failed to reach the last-16 of the Champions League.
Still, Al Mubarak maintained a firm belief that the club remains on the right track and will quickly rebound. “I can assure you, this club will do everything possible to come back to the standards that we know we all can achieve and that we know we will achieve,” he stated. “If there’s one thing I’d like right now, it’s to turn that page from last season and just immediately start focusing on next season.”
The chairman spoke of a squad still hungry for success. He described the atmosphere following the final league game against Fulham as one filled with determination and eagerness to return to form. “Nobody feels good about how we finished the season. They want to come back and they want to come back hungry. And I can see the hunger.”
That sentiment extends beyond the players. Al Mubarak revealed that the club’s leadership wasted no time in preparing for the upcoming season, even beginning discussions about transfers the day after the season ended. The interview was filmed the next day on Monday.
The chairman said the club is starting by targeting the special transfer window opening by FIFA for teams participating in an extended 48-team Club World Cup. “We finished yesterday evening, our last game. And today, we’re working. Nobody’s going on vacation yet,” he noted.
City’s transfer plans are already in motion with clear targets identified. “We have our clear number one option, our clear number two option,” he said. “And we’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift.” The goal is to ensure the team is ready for the Club World Cup, to be held next month in the United States.
Al Mubarak also reflected on the two pillars of the club: Kevin De Bruyne and Pep Guardiola. He hailed De Bruyne as the greatest player in City’s history, lauding his impact on and off the pitch. “Kevin really transcends this team and I’m so proud of what he has accomplished,” he said. “It’s one of the best decisions we ever took – the day we brought him from Wolfsburg.”
Regarding Guardiola, the chairman emphasised the trust that underpins their long-standing partnership. “One thing we have with Pep, which is so fundamental, is one word: trust,” Al Mubarak said. “And that trust is what, in the good times, allows you to keep winning. And in the tough times, that’s where that trust really shows up.”
Despite a season that didn’t deliver silverware with City even losing out on the FA Cup title to Crystal Palace, Al Mubarak’s message was clear: Setbacks are temporary and the foundation remains strong. “We’re going to come back strong, with a lot of positivity,” he concluded, embodying a resilient spirit that has come to define Manchester City under his leadership.
