Manchester City have officially announced that their long-serving Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, will step down at the end of the current Premier League season, with Sporting Lisbon’s Hugo Viana set to succeed him.
Earlier in the week, reports surfaced that Begiristain, a key figure behind City’s success, would be leaving his position after the campaign. It was quickly speculated that Viana, who has built a strong reputation at Sporting Lisbon, would take over—and now that’s been confirmed.
In a statement released on Saturday, the club said: “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.
“After a highly successful twelve-year spell at the Etihad Stadium, Txiki will leave his post following the Club’s participation in the summer’s FIFA Club World Cup. He will be succeeded by Hugo Viana of Sporting CP.
“Viana will begin his full-time role in summer 2025 but will collaborate with Txiki in the months leading up to the transition to ensure everything runs smoothly.”
City also added that they plan to honor Begiristain for his “outstanding contribution” at the season’s end.
Hugo Viana, 41, is no stranger to English football, having played 39 games in the Premier League for Newcastle United. Since retiring, he has risen to prominence in a leadership role at Sporting Lisbon, where he has worked closely with manager Ruben Amorim. Viana’s task at City will be monumental, as he replaces a figure who has been instrumental in shaping the club’s success since joining from Barcelona in 2012.
Begiristain’s legacy at Manchester City is hard to overstate. He was a key figure in bringing Pep Guardiola to the club in 2016 and has remained one of the manager’s closest allies. As Guardiola’s future remains uncertain, with rumors swirling that he could step down at the end of the season, Viana will have big shoes to fill.
Under Guardiola, City are chasing an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title and captured their first-ever Champions League trophy in June 2023, a success that Begiristain played a crucial role in securing.
