Manchester City is reportedly set to appoint Hugo Viana, the ‘transfer guru’ from Sporting Lisbon, as their new director of football, replacing Txiki Begiristain. This would be a significant achievement for the Premier League champions, who are aiming to secure this season’s title against rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.
Viana is highly regarded for his keen business sense and has been instrumental in signing players who later transitioned to the Premier League. He played a crucial role in bringing in Manuel Ugarte and Pedro Porro, both of whom have since moved to Manchester United and Tottenham, respectively.
According to The Telegraph, Viana is expected to move from Portugal to England early next year, with a preliminary agreement already established. City has diligently searched for the right replacement for Begiristain, who is stepping down at the end of the season and is considered one of the top sporting directors globally.
City plans for Viana to start ‘shadowing’ Begiristain in early 2025, preparing him to take over for the 2025-26 season. In addition to his transfer successes, Viana was also key in bringing the highly-rated Ruben Amorim to Sporting as head coach.
This appointment comes at a crucial time, as current manager Pep Guardiola’s contract expires at the end of the season. Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso is seen as a frontrunner to succeed him, but Amorim may also be in the running, depending on Guardiola’s future. He has been linked to potential jobs at Chelsea and Manchester United following his successful tenure at Sporting, where he has led the club to two Primeira Liga titles and two Portuguese League Cups since taking charge in 2020.
