Manchester City boss Mark Hughes will take a young City team to Abu Dhabi next week to say a footballing thank you to Sheikh Mansour. The Blues' boss will field a side made up mainly of second-string players, peppered by the odd first-teamer such as Stevie Ireland, in a friendly match against the United Arab Emirates national team on Thursday, November 12, reports the Manchester Evening News.
It will be the first time the owner has seen City in action, and the friendly fixture is intended to cement the growing relationship between the emirate and the club.
"It's an opportunity for us to take a team to our home from home," said Hughes, whose coaching team will also be staging clinics and whose players will be getting out to meet the people who live in the city.
"We are looking forward to it - with it being international week we will be taking a development squad of the younger players, of whom we are very proud.
"We have a production line from the academy, and want to take the best players to give them experience of playing abroad, so it will be a good exercise.
"We also want to enjoy the kind of welcome which we have always had when we go to Abu Dhabi."
City's owners are keen to expand City's support base in the Middle East, as well as to encourage tourism and stronger links with the UK.
