Manchester City have agreed a deal for Sporting’s Hugo Viana to take over from Txiki Begiristain as a new era dawns at the Etihad Stadium.
Begiristain, heralded as one of the finest sporting directors in European football, is leaving the Premier League champions 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.
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
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
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.
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.
