Former Newcastle flop 'is named as the frontrunner to succeed Txiki Begiristain' as Man City's director of football, with Pep Guardiola's close friend leaving at the end of the season

Manchester City have reportedly identified Hugo Viana, the current Sporting Director at Sporting CP, as the frontrunner to succeed Txiki Begiristain.

Begiristain, who has held the role at City since 2012, is expected to step down at the end of the season, sparking speculation about potential replacements. 

Viana has emerged as the club's preferred candidate for the high-profile position - according to Fabrizio Romano. 

Viana, a former Portugal midfielder, has gained significant recognition for his work at Sporting CP. However, he was criticised for his playing days at Newcastle.

After arriving at Newcastle in 2002 from Sporting, he last four seasons - spending two of them on loan back at his former side in Lisbon and Spanish side Valencia. 

Since taking on the Sporting Director role in 2018, Viana has helped assemble a squad that has competed for top honours in Portugal and in Europe. 

He has overseen several transfer deals, including the £17.5million purchase of Viktor Gyokeres from Championship side Coventry City. 

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 squad. 

His decade-long tenure has seen the recruitment of star players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, and Jack Grealish, among others, and he has worked closely with Guardiola in shaping the footballing philosophy at the Etihad. 

Viana's track record of building competitive squads on more constrained budgets at Sporting CP has impressed City’s hierarchy, and his understanding of both youth development and player trading is seen as a natural fit for the Premier League champions - according to reports. 

While no formal offer or announcement has been made as of now, sources close to Manchester City suggest that Viana is the favourite to replace Begiristain when the latter steps down. 

City has yet to officially confirm any discussions, but the search for a successor has reportedly been ongoing, with Viana standing out as the preferred option. 

Should Viana take the role, he would step into one of the most high-profile positions in world football, responsible for maintaining Manchester City’s competitive edge both domestically and in Europe. 

With Guardiola’s contract running through 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 possible managerial succession plans.