Here are the Manchester City morning headlines for Tuesday, August 25.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s message to UEFA
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak insists the club hold ‘no grudges’ with UEFA after having their two-year ban from European football overturned.
He was speaking in an open letter to City fans in which he commented on the club’s success in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who overturned the ban, earlier this year.
“Life is too short to carry grudges,” Al Mubarak said. “It is an important competition. It is one of the most prestigious competitions in the world of sports.
“It is a competition we want to win and it is a competition we have to respect in order to win.
“And this was a challenge - it’s behind us, end of story as far as I am focussed on one thing. How can I 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 may have nine players for pre-season
City’s preparations for the 2020/21 campaign were always likely to be tough but they may face a period of pre-season with just nine senior players.
Most of the club’s European players - including new arrivals Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake - are likely to be unavailable due to international calls up for the UEFA Nations League matches between September 3-8.
That would leave just Ederson, Fernandinho, Gabriel Jesus, Nicolas Otamendi, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez and Zack Steffen as the first-team players training, along with returning loanee Angelino and third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson.
City’s opening game of the season will be at Wolves on September 19, but there will be a period of disruption in the build-up to the encounter.
Koulibaly set for City - report
City are close to making Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly their third signing of the summer transfer window.
The Senegalese central defender is reportedly close to joining City, following on from the arrivals of Ferran Torres and Nathan Ake this summer.
Italian media outlet Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that a move for the in-demand defender is close, as Pep Guardiola looks to wrestle the Premier League title back from Liverpool.
