Friday’s briefing: Man City want to be more ‘aggressive’ in market

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak admitted the club “probably should have been more aggressive” on the transfer front last summer as he looked back on their 2024-25 season.Manchester United’s Amad Diallo said he did not regret his actions, alleging he had been reacting to insults about his mother, after the winger appeared to make an obscene gesture towards fans in Malaysia, while England boss Sarina Wiegman expressed her disappointment at no longer having Mary Earps to call upon.Khaldoon on transfersIn his annual end-of-season interview, Khaldoon reflected City should have done more to strengthen going into a campaign that saw them relinquish the Premier League title, finishing third, and exit the Champions League before the last 16.Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan were the only major signings last summer as Julian Alvarez departed, with City subsequently spending big to bring in a number of players in January.Khaldoon told City’s website: “I think when I look back, last summer, we probably should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do. We didn’t do that and that ended up costing us this year.”Amad addresses gestureI have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom…I shouldn’t have reacted like that but I don’t regret what I did.🤞🏾We had a great time in Malaysia with good people😄❤️ pic.twitter.com/9d1WeCTMTd— Amad (@Amaddiallo_19) May 29, 2025With United on a post-season trip to Asia, footage shared on social media appeared to show Amad raising his middle finger as he passed a crowd outside the team’s hotel in Kuala Lumpur.United told the BBC the gesture was in response to “serious personal abuse”, while the 22-year-old Ivorian said in a post on X: “I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mom.“I shouldn’t have reacted like that but I don’t regret what I did.”Wiegman reacts to Earps newsGoalkeeper Earps on Tuesday made the shock announcement of her immediate international retirement, just a