Man City chief accelerated transfer plan with eight signings as he makes club 'roots' vow

Man City chief accelerated transfer plan with eight signings as he makes club 'roots' vow

Manchester City are part of a network of 12 clubs worldwide and are looking to broaden their global reach with a strong run at the ongoing Club World Cup in the US

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano (Image: PA Archive/PA Images )

Manchester City chief Ferran Soriano has emphatically stated the club's commitment to its heritage amid their burgeoning global influence.

With Manchester City now a key player in an international group of 12 clubs, they're aiming to boost their profile during a strong showing at the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States.

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However, despite the astonishing transformation since Sheikh Mansour's 2008 takeover, Soriano has given assurances that the team's growth won’t erode its historical values.

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"We have our roots and we are proud of them," Soriano told DAZN.

"But you can be local and relevant and faithful to the history of the club, and the fans that support you, but you can also be global and show what we do – which we believe is beautiful football – to the world.

"It's a combination that works very well and we are proud."

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Watch the Club World Cup free on DAZN This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £0 DAZN Get DAZN here Product Description The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world's best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich play across 63 games from June 14-July 13. Fans can watch every match live and for free by signing up to DAZN.

City's quest in America began on Wednesday with a convincing 2-0 victory over Wydad AC from Morocco, delighting a Philadelphia crowd of 37,446.

Despite facing scrutiny for various issues like timing within the season potentially impacting player welfare, expensive tickets, lacklustre attendances, inconvenient kick-off times, and venue choices, Soriano sees the value in the enlarged format of the tournament. It's witnessed a leap from a seven-team competition, last won by City in 2023, to a month-long spectacle with 32 teams vying for glory.

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The Spaniard said: "We are very excited by it. I think it's something that was very much needed. Soccer is a global sport and we have to make it global.

"You have to have teams like Manchester City playing teams from Morocco, Korea or wherever. That's part of the globalisation of the number one sport in the world.

"I think it's a great initiative and we are very happy to be here."

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Manchester City have bolstered their squad with eight new signings this year, including four last week, as they bid to bounce back from a lacklustre 2024-25 campaign.

He added: "The ambition for City in any competition is to win it. That's the status of the club.

"Obviously it's not possible to win always, so we want to go as far as we can.

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"The squad needs to be renewed. It's something that happens naturally.

"We are very happy, I'm happy, with the work that we did.

"Last summer we only bought one new player but this year between the winter and the summer it will be eight new ones.

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"It's part of the annual cycle, the renewal of the squad. We accelerated some of it and now we are very happy with the squad we have."

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