Former Portugal midfielder Hugo Viana has been confirmed as Manchester Metropolis’s new director of soccer and can take up the function in the summertime of 2025.
The transfer had been broadly predicted in latest weeks however Metropolis confirmed his appointment because the successor to Txiki Begiristain this afternoon.
Begiristain has spent 12 years on the Etihad after holding an identical place at Barcelona and was instrumental in bringing Pep Guardiola to the membership in 2016.
Underneath his general management, Metropolis have turn out to be the main membership in English soccer, wining seven Premier League titles and their first Champions League crown as a part of a treble in 2023.
Membership Assertion: Director of Soccer
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) October 12, 2024
A membership assertion learn: “Manchester Metropolis can verify that Txiki Begiristain will step away from his full-time function as Director of Soccer on the finish of the 2024/25 season.
“Following a trophy-laden twelve years on the Etihad Stadium, Txiki will go away his present submit following the Membership’s involvement on this summer time’s FIFA Membership World Cup and can be succeeded by Hugo Viana of Sporting CP.
“Viana will start his full-time function in the summertime of 2025, however will collaborate with Txiki within the previous months to make sure a easy transition.
“We stay up for paying tribute to Txiki’s excellent contribution to Manchester Metropolis on the finish of the season.”
The panorama may look very totally different for Viana when he takes over.
By then Metropolis must know the punishment meted out if they’re discovered to have dedicated any wrongdoing after being charged by the Premier League of 115 counts of breaching monetary truthful play guidelines.
Guardiola can also be out of contract on the finish of the season.
Viana, 41, has gained many admirers for the job he has carried out at Sporting, main them to 2 Primeira Liga titles in his six-year spell in Lisbon.
He additionally overhauled the membership’s scouting system which has proved vastly profitable and plucked Ruben Amorim from Braga to turn out to be head coach. Amorim is now one of the vital sought-after coaches in Europe.
As a participant, Viana loved success at Sporting and Valencia however flopped at Newcastle.
