Van Bronckhorst earmarked for New York City FC role after spending time with Man City

Jonathan Smith

Van Bronckhorst earmarked for New York City FC role after spending time with Man City image

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is being lined up for a future role inside the City Football Group, with New York City FC a potential long-term destination.

The former Netherlands international has been spending time at Manchester City in recent weeks, working with coaches and gaining an understanding of how the organisation works.

Van Bronckhorst, 44, left his role as manager of Dutch side Feyenoord at the end of last season after four years in charge, and had been planning to take a year's sabbatical from football.

But he has since been spending time at City’s Etihad Campus and will visit a number of clubs inside the CFG, which includes New York City in the United States.

Goal understands that the former Arsenal and Barcelona defender is being earmarked for a permanent role inside the group, with New York City a possible opportunity.

The Major League Soccer club are currently managed by Pep Guardiola’s former assistant Domenec Torrent, who has taken the club to the top of the Eastern Conference.

New York City are three matches away from winning their first ever MLS Cup, with a Conference semi-final against Toronto or DC United later this month.

Torrent, 57, who worked with Guardiola for 11 years at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, joined the club in 2018, and his current contract runs until the end of 2020.

But his success is set to attract the attention of European clubs while he has also hinted that he would consider returning to work with Guardiola again in the future.

New York City FC say they are delighted with Torrent’s record at the club and have no plans to replace him.

His predecessor in the Big Apple was Patrick Vieira, who had a similar arrangement with the CFG to the one Van Bronckhorst has established.

The Frenchman worked with City’s development teams before taking over at New York City in 2016 and is now the manager of Nice.

Jonathan Smith

Jonathan Smith Photo

Jonathan Smith is Goal's Manchester City correspondent, covering the club home, away and abroad. He joined Goal in August 2019 after three years in the same role for ESPN and having previously spent more than four years on the sports desk at the Manchester Evening News. Jonathan has become a trusted and respected journalist on the club - regularly appearing on media outlets such as Love Sport radio, beIN Sports, Esporte Interativo, Premier League Productions as well as the club's own media site and City podcasts such as Blue Moon.