Man City confirm Newcastle flop as new director of football as club hail 'outstanding contribution' of outgoing Txiki Begiristain

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Manchester City have confirmed that Newcastle flop Hugo Viana will replace Txiki Begiristain as the club's director of football at the end of the season as a new era dawns at the Etihad Stadium.

Begiristain took on the role in October 2012, having been in the same position at Barcelona from 2003-10, and was widely credited with luring compatriot Pep Guardiola to City four years later.

It was Begiristain who backed Guardiola in his managerial big break at Barcelona, with the pair striking up a close friendship as team-mates at the Catalan club in the early-to-mid 1990s.

Now City have announced the highly-regarded director's departure in a statement on Saturday afternoon. 

'Manchester City can confirm that Txiki Begiristain will step away from his full-time role as director of football at the end of the 2024/25 season,' the club said.

Man City have agreed a deal for Sporting's Hugo Viana to take over from Txiki Begiristain

Begiristain (far right), who has held the role since 2012, will step down at the end of the season

Viana impressed after his work alongside the highly-regarded Ruben Amorim at Sporting

'Following a trophy-laden 12 years at the Etihad Stadium, 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. 

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'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.'

Mail Sport reported his likely departure in the summer and City have been sounding out potential successors for some time.

Viana, the former Newcastle United midfielder, topped that list after impressing during his six years at Sporting while working with manager Ruben Amorim.

Sporting have won two of the last four Portuguese titles and are top of the league this term with eight consecutive victories.

Intriguingly, they play host to Pep Guardiola's City in the Champions League group stage early next month and Viana's move is expected to be finalised before then.

Pep Guardiola's own future is unclear with his current contract up at the end of the season

Viana played 56 games for Newcastle United during his league stint in the early 2000s

The 41-year-old's decision to pay more than £10million to take Amorim from Braga in 2020 was seen as the catalyst for their spell of dominance.

City want the new sporting director to have a handover period alongside Begiristain for six months before the Spaniard's departure.

Guardiola's own future still remains unresolved, with the 53-year-old out of contract at the end of the season.