Manchester City have confirmed the departure of Director of Football Txiki Begiristain, ending a 13-year spell that coincided with the most successful period in the club’s history. He will be succeeded by former Sporting Director Hugo Viana, the club announced on Thursday.
Begiristain, 60, played a key role in City’s transformation into a dominant force in English and European football. During his tenure, the club won seven Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a Champions League and a Club World Cup.
However, his exit follows a disappointing 2024–25 season in which City failed to win any major trophies, and comes as the club continues to face more than 100 charges from the Premier League over alleged financial rule breaches.
A former teammate of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, Begiristain worked closely with the City manager both in Manchester and during their earlier spell together at the Catalan club. He was instrumental in Guardiola’s appointments at both Barcelona in 2008 and Manchester City in 2016.
In a statement, the club said: “Everyone at Manchester City would like to thank Txiki for everything that he has achieved during his time at the Club, and we look forward to paying tribute to his outstanding contribution in September.”
Speaking to City Studios, Begiristain explained the timing of his departure: “I told Ferran [Soriano, CEO], ‘I’ll handle Pep’s transition for you.’ And then you renewed for two more years. When you renewed the last time, I said, ‘Ferran, I can’t do this anymore.’”
Begiristain previously held the Director of Football role at Barcelona until 2010, where he laid the groundwork for Guardiola’s iconic coaching career.
His exit now casts fresh doubt over Guardiola’s long-term future at the Etihad. The 54-year-old manager is under contract until 2027, but speculation around his next move is likely to intensify with the departure of one of his closest allies at the club.