Khaldoon Al Mubarak reveals hunger is back and plans for next season are already in motion
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Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola remains the central figure in the club's fortunes.
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola remains the central figure in the club's fortunes.
AFP
Dubai: Manchester City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reaffirmed the club’s unwavering faith in Pep Guardiola, describing their relationship as one built on “trust” — the same quality he credits for City’s remarkable success in recent years.
“One thing we have with Pep, which is so fundamental, is one word: trust,” Al Mubarak said during his annual end-of-season interview in Abu Dhabi. “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.”
The chairman emphasised that the club’s belief in Guardiola is matched by the manager’s faith in the organisation.
“He trusts us. He trusts me. He trusts the organisation. He trusts the club — and we trust him.”
Looking ahead after disappointment
Reflecting on City’s campaign, which ended without silverware after an intense run-in, Al Mubarak made it clear that the club is already focused on bouncing back.
“We will be back,” he said. “This season is behind us. We’ll take all the good things, and the not-so-good things, and learn from them. I can assure you, this club will do everything possible to come back to the standards that we know we can achieve.”
According to Al Mubarak, the hunger among the players is already visible.
“All the players I saw yesterday after the Fulham game — they’re excited about coming back. Nobody feels good about how we finished the season. They want to come back hungry. And I can see the hunger.”
Transfer strategy already in motion
City’s summer transfer plans are already underway, with Al Mubarak revealing that key targets have been identified and the club is acting quickly.
“We have our clear number one option, our clear number two option. And we’ll go about our business… very clear, very swift. Our objective is to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
Praise for De Bruyne
The chairman also paid a glowing tribute to Kevin De Bruyne, hailing the midfielder as the club’s greatest-ever player.
“In my view, he is the greatest player to play for this club,” he said. “He’s been a captain, a leader, a teammate — everything you would hope from your most important player.”
Al Mubarak called the signing of De Bruyne from Wolfsburg “one of the best decisions we ever took”.
From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.
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