Hugo Viana identifies Pep Guardiola replacement if he lands Man City job

Hugo Viana will push for Sporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim to replace Pep Guardiola if he lands the director of football role at Manchester City.

Txiki Begiristain is set to step down as City’s director of football at the end of the season having overseen the club’s staggering success over the last 12 years.

The Spaniard took up the role in 2012 after success with Barcelona, reunited with Pep Guardiola in Manchester four years later having been instrumental in bringing the coach to the club.

But this will be his last season at the club with the search underway for a replacement.

Viana is thought to be the leading candidate with Record reporting the former midfielder will seek to bring Amorim with him to the Premier League.

Guardiola’s current contract at City will expire at the end of the season with no indication from him or the club as to whether he will extend his stay.

In the past, the former Barcelona boss has made it clear the presence of Begiristain has been a key factor in his decision to sign contract extensions in 2018, 2020 and 2022.

Amorim, 39, has a contract with Sporting until 2026 but has been targeted by clubs in the Premier League.

The Portuguese was considered for the Liverpool job before Arne Slot was brought into succeed Jurgen Klopp while he has also been linked with the top jobs at Chelsea and Manchester United in recent years.

Record report Amorim would be the ‘natural choice’ to step in for Guardiola if Viana takes the role at the top of City’s footballing structure next year.

Viana won 29 caps for Portugal during a playing career that took him to Newcastle United and Valencia after emerging from the Sporing youth academy, retiring at the age of 33.

His career off the pitch began in 2017 as director of football at Belenenses, returning to Sporting the following year.