Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak holds no UEFA grudge following overturned ban
City's chairman says the
club will be flexible on summer transfers; insists Kevin De Bruyne deserved
Premier League Player of the Season award
Manchester City chairman
Khaldoon Al Mubarak says he holds no grudges against UEFA after City overturned
their two-year ban from European club competitions in July
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says "life is
too short to carry grudges" and insists the club are intent on having a
"constructive relationship" with UEFA.
In a wide-ranging interview which also covered
summer transfers and talisman Kevin De Bruyne, Khaldoon addressed City's overturned
European ban.
City were handed a
two-year suspension by UEFA's club financial control body (CFCB) in February
for "serious breaches" of club licensing and financial fair play
regulations, but it was lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in July -
freeing the club to play in next season's Champions League.
Asked if City's
relationship with UEFA was beyond repair, Khaldoon said he did not carry a
grudge and would rather focus on trying to win the Champions League.
"Life is
too short to carry grudges," Khaldoon told mcfc.co.uk.
"It is an important competition. It is one of the most prestigious
competitions in the world of sports and it is a competition we want to win, and
we have to respect in order to win.
"This was a challenge, it's behind us, end
of story. I am focused on one thing - how I can help this club compete in this
competition and win it and how to have a constructive relationship with UEFA, I
think it's the only way to go."
City have already acquired defender Nathan Ake
from Bournemouth and winger Ferran Torres from Valencia, while Leroy
Sane, David Silva and Claudio Bravo have
left the club.
Khaldoon said more players will follow Ake and Torres through the
entrance door this summer, and while they have made the 20-25-year-old category
a priority, the club will be "pragmatic" should the opportunity arise
to sign a player outside that age bracket.