The end of an era is looming at Manchester City.
Earlier this week, The Athletic reported that Txiki Begiristain will stand down as director of football at the Etihad Stadium after 13 years with the club.
On Friday, The Daily Mail broke the story that City had reached an agreement for Begiristain's Sporting CP counterpart Hugo Viana to take the reins.
It is anticipated that former Braga and Newcastle midfielder Viana will begin his new role in early 2025 to allow for a handover period working alongside Begiristain.
City are yet to officially confirm the appointment, something that may be prudent to accelerate given Sporting host the Premier League champions in the Champions League on November 5.
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When will Pep Guardiola leave Man City?
Pep Guardiola is out of contract at Manchester City at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Begiristain is a key ally of Guardiola's and a long-time friend from their playing days at Barcelona in the 1990s.
Guardiola was handed the Barcelona head coach job by Begiristain during the latter's Camp Nou tenure despite only having one season in charge of Barcelona B. That set in motion a period of era-defining dominance for the Catalan club.
Similarly, Begiristain was integral to Guardiola's decision to join City from Bayern Munich in 2016. With the 53-year-old at the helm, City have won six of the past seven Premier Leagues, six domestic cups and a maiden UEFA Champions League as part of a treble in 2022/23.
Guardiola has signed three contract extensions at City, with the previous two — both for two years — penned during the November international breaks of 2020 and 2022.
Earlier this month, City fans unveiled a banner in Guardiola's native Catalan imploring him to stay ahead of the 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham.
Who will replace Pep Guardiola?
Viana's pending arrival at City brings Ruben Amorim into the conversation when it comes to finding a successor for Guardiola.
Begiristain and Guardiola being completely in sync as director of football and manager has been a key ingredient in City's run of success.
In 2020, Viana brought Amorim to Sporting from Braga. It proved to be a move that revitalised a sleeping giant. The Lisbon club won their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21 and regained the crown last season.
Amorim was heavily linked to the vacancy at Liverpool before the Anfield hierarchy plumped for Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp's successor. The 41-year-old now looks well-placed to replace the other defining tactician of this Premier League era.
