Update: |Hugo Viana steps up work at Man City after Manchester United draw News

Manchester City’s new sporting director Hugo Viana will work full-time alongside Txiki Begiristain for the next three months

Hugo Viana has started full-time at Manchester City as he moves to take over from Txiki Begiristain and lead City into their new era. Begiristain will remain in charge until the end of the Club World Cup, although Viana will now have three months working alongside him to try to set City up to challenge again next season.

Begiristain is finally saying goodbye to City after 13 years at the club, during which time he has overseen a remarkable era of success. The former Barcelona sporting director has been responsible for signing world-class talent from Kevin De Bruyne to Erling Haaland, while he has also been fundamental in convincing Pep Guardiola first to come to Manchester and then to stay for as long as he has .

Viana was announced as Begiristain’s successor in October after building his reputation in Portugal at Sporting alongside current United manager Ruben Amorim. The former Newcastle star was originally expected to stay at Sporting for the 2024/25 season, only for an announcement at the end of the winter transfer window that he was leaving four months early.

The idea of him bringing forward his start date at City was initially dismissed, albeit it was acknowledged that he would be around the Etihad more. Having already been spotted in Manchester with Begiristain in January, the first sighting of Viana at the club’s training ground and stadium came in February when Real Madrid visited for their Champions League play-off.

Viana was in the directors’ box at Old Trafford on Sunday alongside Begiristain and has now started his duties ahead of what is set to be a busy summer for City. The club need to replace the departing Kevin De Bruyne for one, and more incomings are expected as they build on the £175m spent in the January window to transform an ageing squad.

Speaking about the decision from the club not to offer De Bruyne a new contract when his current deal expires this summer, Guardiola said on Friday: “He’s injured the last year and a half because he gave everything for the club. It happened because he’s given everything with his body and his mind. There is no doubt about that.

“To replicate these numbers, and his kind of things, is so difficult. But we have to find other qualities. He’s the only player who has finished his contract, the rest are under contract, and still there are many things the club and myself haven’t decided on what we have to do.

“Of course it’s difficult. People say, ‘Okay Erling came to replace Sergio’. Sergio was irreplaceable for many things. It’s not about the goals. Football is nice when you can give emotion to the fans and Sergio gave something unique. Like Erling will be unique.

“There are things that cannot be substituted. To say bye to these type of players is so difficult. There are players who are unique, who represent what the club wants to be. And Kevin is one of them. Now it’s a shock but people will remember how blessed and happy they were to see these type of player who gave us absolutely everything. You can only be grateful.

“The club gave everything to him and he gave everything to us. My period here will always have Kevin there in my memories. He cannot be forgotten. Even in the bad moments. People say they will remember that everything was a fairytale. Of course it wasn’t.