Manchester City have reportedly identified Hugo Viana, current sporting director of Sporting CP, as the favorite to succeed Txiki Begiristain.
Begiristain, who has held the position at City since 2012, is expected to resign at the end of the season, sparking speculation over possible replacements.
Viana has become the club’s preferred candidate for the high-profile job, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Viana, a former Portugal midfielder, has earned important recognition for his work at Sporting CP. However, he was criticized for his playing days at Newcastle.
After arriving at Newcastle in 2002 from Sporting, he lasted four seasons, two of them on loan to his former team in Lisbon and Spanish club Valencia.
Manchester City would have identified Hugo Viana, current sporting director of Sporting CP, as the favorite to succeed Txiki Begiristain.
Begiristain, who has held the position at City since 2012, is expected to resign at the end of the season, sparking speculation over possible replacements.
Since taking over as sporting director in 2018, Viana has helped build a team that has competed for top honors in Portugal and Europe.
He has overseen several transfer deals, including the purchase of Viktor Gyokeres from Championship side Coventry City for £17.5m.
At Manchester City, Viana would be tasked with continuing the club’s remarkable run of success under Pep Guardiola, where they have dominated English football and established themselves as perennial contenders in the UEFA Champions League.
Begiristain, who turned 60 in August, has been a key architect of City’s rise, overseeing a series of successful transfer windows and building a world-class team.
His decade-long tenure has seen the signing of star players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish, among others, and he has worked closely with Guardiola to shape the Etihad’s football philosophy.
Viana’s track record of building competitive teams on more limited budgets at Sporting CP has impressed the City hierarchy, and his understanding of both youth development and player exchange is seen as a natural fit for the Premier League champions, according to the reports.
While no formal offer or announcement has been made so far, sources close to Manchester City suggest that Viana is the favorite to replace Begiristain when the latter steps down.
The city has not yet officially confirmed any discussions, but the search for a successor has reportedly been ongoing, with Viana being the preferred option.
Viana, a former Portugal midfielder, has earned important recognition for his work at Sporting CP. However, he was criticized for his playing days at Newcastle.
If Viana were to take over, he would occupy one of the most prominent positions in world football, responsible for maintaining Manchester City’s competitive advantage both domestically and in Europe.
With Guardiola’s contract running until 2025, the incoming Director of Football would also play a key role in determining the club’s future direction, including transfer targets, contract renewals and potential managerial succession plans.
