Former Portugal midfielder Hugo Viana has been confirmed as Manchester City’s new director of football and will take up the role in the summer of 2025.
The move had been widely predicted in recent weeks but City confirmed his appointment as the successor to Txiki Begiristain this afternoon.
Begiristain has spent 12 years at the Etihad after holding a similar position at Barcelona and was instrumental in bringing Pep Guardiola to the club in 2016.
Under his overall control, City have become the leading club in English football, wining seven Premier League titles and their first Champions League crown as part of a treble in 2023.
Club Statement: Director of Football
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 12, 2024
A club statement read: “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.
“Following a trophy-laden twelve 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.
“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.”
The landscape could look very different for Viana when he takes over.
By then City ought to know the punishment meted out if they are found to have committed any wrongdoing after being charged by the Premier League of 115 counts of breaching financial fair play rules.
Guardiola is also out of contract at the end of the season.
Viana, 41, has won many admirers for the job he has done at Sporting, leading them to two Primeira Liga titles in his six-year spell in Lisbon.
He also overhauled the club’s scouting system which has proved hugely successful and plucked Ruben Amorim from Braga to become head coach. Amorim is now one of the most sought-after coaches in Europe.
As a player, Viana enjoyed success at Sporting and Valencia but flopped at Newcastle.
