Man City chief to step down after 2024/25 season
- Txiki Begiristain to leave Man City next summer
- Director of football could be followed out the door by Pep Guardiola
- City awaiting result of trial of 115 financial charges
By Tom Gott
Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain is set to step down from his role at the club at the end of the season, a report has revealed.
Begiristain has been with City since 2012 and is credited with a significant role in the career of manager Pep Guardiola, who made his coaching debut at Barcelona under Begiristain's watch, while the former Spain international was also responsible for bringing Guardiola to City in 2016.
As noted by The Athletic, Begiristain had planned to walk away from City when he turned 55 but ultimately pushed that deadline back to his 60th birthday, which arrived in August.
Begiristain has now communicated his decision to depart this summer and it is claimed that City have already struck a deal to hire his replacement, who will begin work in early 2025.
While Begiristain's is not directly tied to Guardiola, it could impact the City manager's decision. He has already admitted he is approaching the end of his tenure at the club, with this season his ninth in charge.
A previous report revealed Guardiola was already planning to step down as City boss at the end of the current season, although club officials remain keen to keep Guardiola around and the manager has not yet made any firm decisions.
Fans held a banner aloft ahead of City's victory over Fulham which urged Guardiola to stay beyond this season.
"They have to bring me the bill," Guardiola said in response to the display. "I will pay, I don't want them to spend money for that. What can I say? Thank you so much. I fell in love since the first day I was here. What's going to happen is going to happen.
"I am part of this club, deep inside my bones. I'm part of this club, not just the manager. I love this club and it will always be this way. It cannot be different [because of] the way they treat me from day one. It is impossible."
Meanwhile, City remain locked in a major legal battle with the Premier League over 115 allegations of financial breaches, some of which stem from the pre-Begiristain era.
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