The recent international break saw some big news concerning Manchester City come to light.
Specifically, David Ornstein reported that Txiki Begiristain will be leaving City in the summer after 13 years of being the club’s sporting director.
Following that news, it was reported that City had agreed a deal to Hugo Viana replace Begiristain at the end of the current season.
A statement shared on the club’s website then confirmed both claims, revealing that Viana will collaborate with Begiristain in the months leading up to the summer “to ensure a smooth transition” at the Etihad Stadium.
With City taking on Wolves at Molinuex this weekend as they return to Premier League action, Pep Guardiola has now had the chance to share his thoughts on Begiristain’s impending departure.
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Guardiola shares how Begiristain helps him at Man City
When asked about Begiristain’s upcoming exit in his latest press conference (via Man City), Guardiola gave this heartfelt response.
He said: “A part of me is leaving, I would say. A friend of mine, one of the architects to create one of the best teams ever in Barcelona at that time, and now here.
“I’ve known the decision for a long time, for family reasons and personal reasons, I know how grateful he is for this experience here.
“Personally he will be missed, but of course he will be missed a lot, for the confidence, the trust, especially in bad moments because he made me incredibly balanced in my job because I’m so energetic.
“When it’s going bad I want to destroy everything, and all the time he said, ‘See you tomorrow, take a coffee’. And his balance to be completely crazy in other ones, his pause helped me lot in my period in Barcelona and of course, here.
“But I have the opinion that the club is so solid, incredibly well structured and the club will have to move on.”
What will Begiristain do after leaving City?
Having been at City since 2012, Begiristain has been involved in multiple transfer deals that have seen a wide range of players make moves in and out of the Manchester club.
Following the news of the 60-year-old summer departure, Fabrizio Romano said this about what Begiristain’s next steps will be after leaving City.
He said: “He’s leaving now, it’s time for him to have a sabbatical.
“It’s not guaranteed yet how long it’s going to be. The intention, from what I’m hearing, is not to retire. It’s to stay in the football industry.
“He will remain in football, and it’s luck for football to see Txiki Begiristain again in the game. But for sure, he’s not retiring. He’s going to take some time and then decide what he wants to do in the football world in the future.”
Now that Guardiola has shared some behind-the-scenes details on the support that Begiristain has given him throughout their time together at City, this highlights how much of a key figure he’s been for the club in and out of the boardroom.
Moving forward, with the City manager’s contract at the club set to expire in the summer, every supporter will be hoping to see Begiristain’s final act as sporting director get Guardiola to extend his deal at the Etihad.
