Viana to replace Begiristain at Manchester City

Manchester City have confirmed director of football Txiki Begiristain will leave the club at the end of the season and be replaced by Sporting's Hugo Viana.

BBC Sport reported last week that Spaniard Begiristain, 60, was set to leave after 12 years at the club.

City released a statement on Saturday saying the club had enjoyed a "trophy-laden" time during Begiristain's time at the club.

Since he took on the role in 2012, City have won seven Premier League titles, the Champions League for the first time, two FA Cups and six EFL Cups.

"Txiki will leave his current post following the club's involvement in this summer's Fifa Club World Cup and will be succeeded by Hugo Viana of Sporting CP," added the statement.

"Viana will begin his full-time role in the summer of 2025, but will collaborate with Txiki in the preceding months to ensure a smooth transition.

"We look forward to paying tribute to Txiki's outstanding contribution to Manchester City at the end of the season."

Begiristain was instrumental in bringing Pep Guardiola to the club as manager in 2016.

He has been repeatedly praised by Guardiola for the work he has done behind the scenes with City's recruitment.

The news comes as Guardiola enters the final months of his current contract and in a week where there has been a verdict in City's legal case against the Premier League over rules on commercial deals involving clubs' owners, with both sides claiming victory.

That case is not directly related to the Premier League disciplinary commission which is underway into 115 charges against City for allegedly breaching its financial regulations, some of which date back to 2009.

Viana made 39 Premier League appearances for Newcastle United between 2002 and 2005.

His successful playing career which also saw him play as a midfielder in his native Portugal, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.

He has won admirers for the work he has done at Sporting, helping them to win two league titles in his six-year spell at the club.

In 2021 the club claimed their first league title in 19 years before lifting it for a second time after they regained the title last season.

Viana has raised money for Sporting by securing good deals for players sold to Premier League clubs including Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United for £67.7m and Matheus Nunes to Wolves for £42.2m.