Manchester City appoint Hugo Viana as new sporting director to replace Txiki Begiristain

Portuguese will join from Sporting Lisbon to take helm at end of 2024/25 season

Hugo Viana played for Shabab Al Ahli and Al Wasl in the UAE. AFP

Manchester City on Saturday announced that former Newcastle United and Portugal winger Hugo Viana will replace Txiki Begiristain as the club's sporting director at the end of the season.

The club said that Begiristain will leave at the end of the current campaign, bringing an end to a 12-year association that has seen the club become the dominant force in English football.

A statement on the club's official X, formerly Twitter, account read: "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.

"Following a trophy-laden twelve years at the Etihad Stadium, Txiki will leave his current post following the Club’s involvement in this summer’s Fifa Club World Cup and will be succeeded by Hugo Viana of Sporting CP.

"Viana will begin his full-time role in the summer of 2025, but will collaborate with Txiki in the preceding months to ensure a smooth transition.

"We look forward to paying tribute to Txiki’s outstanding contribution to Manchester City at the end of the season."

Viana is well-regarded in Portugal where he is the sporting director of Sporting of Lisbon.

He is familiar with English football having signed for Newcastle United 20 years ago from Sporting following a breakthrough season in Portugal.

He is well known to UAE football fans, too. After spells in Spain with Valencia and Osasuna and back in his homeland with Braga, Viana joined Al Ahli (now Shabab Al Ahli) in 2013, helping them win the league, Super Cup and Arabian League Cup.

After making 27 appearances over two seasons, Viana switched to Dubai rivals Al Wasl in 2015, playing 37 matches.

Viana retired in 2016 and began his next career as a sporting director the following year with Belenenses, leaving after just six months. In 2018, he returned to Sporting, the club where he began his career, as their director of football.

His return coincided with a big improvement in the club's fortunes, and in 2021 they won a first league title in 19 years and were also crowned champions last term.

Viana's work in player recruitment at Sporting put him on the radar of several top clubs. The Lisbon outfit have operated at a €200 million profit over the past five years, thanks to the big-money sales of the likes of Manuel Ugarte, Pedro Porro, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Nunes.

Viana’s credentials in the transfer market are likely to be a key reason why he is City’s choice at what feels like a key time for the club.

City face 155 charges brought by the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules. City deny all the charges.