Manchester City planning to buy, rotate squad – chairman

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said the Premier League powerhouse will be heavily involved in the off-season transfer market.

City have already been linked with Wolfsburg attacker Kevin De Bruyne, as they aim to replenish their squad after finishing second behind Chelsea in defence of their 2013-14 league title.

Al Mubarak claimed coach Manuel Pellegrini and the club’s hierarchy were “aligned” in their transfer aims.

“Every year, players come, players go,” the chairman told CityTV.

“We have a great nucleus that we have here. We want to preserve this nucleus, but at the same time we want to go the next level.

“We want a squad that is able and has the capability and quality to win the Premier League, compete and win the Champions League, and compete and be able to go all the way in two cup competitions in England.

“We need to bring quality to the squad. We’re all aligned in terms of the type of quality that needs to be brought into the squad. 

“I think you will see some changes. You will see some players who have served us well and maybe it is time for them to move to their next challenge, and you will see us in the market bringing high-quality individuals that fit within what we are aspiring to coming in this summer.

“I can assure you this squad will be stronger, this team will be more competitive. I am both confident and excited about what’s coming next year.

“I want the disappointment of last year behind me, behind us all. We’ve all turned the page. 

“The energy right now is positive, the energy towards getting back on track, winning that Premier League and getting a better performance in the Champions League. This is absolutely what is driving all of us right now.”

Asked about Pellegrini’s future at Eastlands, Al Mubarak said the Chilean tactician will lead the team into the 2015-16 season.

“Every year we look back at season, and we conduct our reviews. We discuss the pros, the cons… Manuel is as disappointed as we are with the results over the past year,” Al Mubarak said. 

“He’s very clear, and I agree with him and his assessment on what has worked and what hasn’t worked. Let’s leave last season behind us, let’s focus on next year.”

Al Mubarak said the fact City were left disappointed by a top-two finish in England and reaching the UEFA Champions League last-16 was a positive on how far they have come since the Abu Dhabi United Group took over in August 2008.

“If you asked me seven years ago, that in seven years, we will end the season second in the Premier League, we will be exiting the Champions League in the round of 16, losing to Barcelona, and that would we be extremely disappointed by that? I think this is a testament to how far we’ve gone,” he said.