City chairman reveals transfer mistakes and promises new signings before CWC

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has vowed that Pep Guardiola should have a new-look squad in time for the Club World Cup.

City fly to the United States on June 12 ahead of the tournament, with a temporary transfer window opening this Sunday and shutting two days before they jet off.

Al Mubarak admitted that City were not aggressive enough in reshaping the team on the back of sealing a fourth consecutive Premier League title last summer and insisted the same mistakes will not be repeated.

Mail Sport revealed earlier this week that City want to wrap up a move north of £55million for AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders before America.

Morgan Gibbs-White has been a primary target in midfield, with City hopeful of signing at least one full back. Wolves left back Rayan Ait-Nouri has interest, with the club looking at two right back options.

Lyon’s mercurial talent Rayan Cherki has admirers from across Europe as City pulled out of the race to land Florian Wirtz, citing the finances involved in signing the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker. Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is an option were either Ederson or Stefan Ortega to depart.

‘Four players (arrived) in January and that gives you an idea of what's coming this summer because we will continue this summer with this, serving the needs of the club,’ Al Mubarak said.

‘We'll go about our business and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.

‘I think when I look back, last summer, we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do. We didn't do that and that ended up costing us this year.’

It therefore promises to be a hectic fortnight at the Etihad Stadium before the summer jaunt, which starts with a short training camp in Boca Raton, an hour north of Miami.

City face Wydad AC on June 18 but should have a plethora of new faces both on and off the pitch before then. Guardiola’s backroom staff has been cut by three, with Juanma Lillo, Inigo Dominguez and Carlos Vicens all leaving in the coming weeks.

During an interview recorded in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Al Mubarak revealed that the hierarchy are working tirelessly to sort business early.

Guardiola’s messages about squad size have been mixed in recent weeks, first claiming he requires more numbers owing to an increasing amount of games before stating last week that the existing bunch needed streamlining.

‘All the players, everyone I saw after the Fulham game, they're excited about coming back,’ Al Mubarak added.

‘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 and these players, they want to come back to pre-season. Normally these players are off and they're starting to think about vacation time.'

City clinched third spot in the Premier League - and qualification for next season's Champions League - by beating Fulham 2-0 at Craven Cottage on the final day.

Al Mubarak said: ‘Honestly, every player I spoke to was telling me, “we’re coming back”. I was speaking to Rodri as an example, he's looking for games.

'Erling (Haaland) didn't want to go on vacation. He wanted to stay with the physios and prepare for next season.

‘That's the attitude you want and that's exactly why you see me so positive. We're going to come back strong, with a lot of positivity.

‘I just got off the phone right now with Ferran (Soriano). He spent the day with Txiki (Begiristain), Pep and Hugo (Viana) today, this morning.

'We finished yesterday evening, our last game. And today, we're working. Nobody's going on vacation yet.’