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Pep Guardiola has been backed to ‘transform’ Manchester City and take them to another level.

City’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has delivered his verdict on the in-coming manager, who he describes as ‘one of the best, if not the best’ in world football.

His comments come after Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward hailed Jose Mourinho as ‘simply the best’ upon his appointment at Old Trafford.

Guardiola is set to take charge at the Etihad on July 1 – but has already made two secret visits to Manchester in the past couple of weeks to run the rule over the club’s academy and stadium.

He also met with Khaldoon in Abu Dhabi last week.

Following that meeting the chairman said: “I’m absolutely excited about Pep joining our team.

“I consider Pep to be one of the best, if not the best, managers today in football.

“We are getting a manager that epitomises, in my view, passion and commitment.

“He’s a winner, he’s a proven winner, he has won professionally in every team he has coached, his record at Bayern Munich, his record at Barcelona, I think speaks for itself.”

Guardiola has been charged with the task of returning City to the summit of English football, following the disappointment of Manuel Pellegrini's final season in charge, and delivering a first Champions League trophy in the club’s history.

Watch: Khaldoon Al Mubarak on Pep Guardiola

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Khaldoon added in an interview with City's in-house TV channel: “The trophies he’s won - every single club competition out there - from the Champions League to La Liga to the Bundesliga, to the respective cups in both leagues he’s played.

“We are getting a proven winner - we are getting a passionate man.

“We are getting someone who I think will be an incredible asset to Manchester City.

“And I have no doubt that he will transform our team to a whole new level.”