Dr Sulaiman still wants big City signings
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The billionaire who fronted the Manchester City takeover says he would like to see Mark Hughes target higher profile players.
Hughes has come under pressure as the club has fallen to just one point clear of the relegation zone, but he is widely expected to attempt to bolster his squad with the likes of Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge and Lassana Diarra in January.
But Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim – part of the Abu Dhabi United Group but marginalised after his widely publicised comments about trying to sign the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo – believes the club should aim higher.
Speaking of Hughes’ transfer plans, he said in The Guardian: “My vision is rather different.
“I decided to choose a club where there was a possibility of getting big names.
“I knew what was in my imagination. I put my vision forward, but it is the role of the manager and the chairman to take it forward now.
“I was only asked to find the opportunity and close the deal rather than go into the detail.”
He added: “Only if I was approached by Hughes would I have the chance to put my ideas across.”
Hughes, however, has received the backing of owner Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and intends to press ahead with his plans in January.
“Player acquisition is not an exact science, but we have a list of targets,” he said.
“We have done our homework and we hope everything will go through.
“Even the best laid plans can have last-minute hitches that compromise the deal and sometimes they don’t happen, but we will make sure we do everything in our power to bring in the players that I know will help us.”