Sporting favourite, Barcelona option, Berrada repeat - Man City face huge transfer decision

Manchester City sporting director Txiki Begiristain is expected to leave the club at the end of the season, leaving huge question marks over what happens next at the Etihad Stadium.

Begiristain joined City in 2012 and has overseen the most successful period in the club's history, with his signings helping inspire City to four successive Premier League titles, a Champions League win and an historic treble in 2022/23.

Having appointed Pep Guardiola as Barcelona manager during his time at Camp Nou, the pair share an incredibly close relationship at City and speak every day.

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With Guardiola out of contract at the end of the season, there is a fear that Begiristain's exit could pave the way for his departure, too.

Those fears won't be allayed until there is clarity over the manager's future at City but what we do know is Begiristain is expected to depart at the end of the current campaign and the club have reportedly already found his successor.

That successor will start at the beginning of 2025 so Begiristain will leave the club by giving his replacement a six-month handover period.

But the identity of who that will be remains unknown at this stage. As such, the Manchester Evening News have taken a look at the potential runners and riders.

Hugo Viana

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Sporting Lisbon sporting director Hugo Viana has emerged as City's favourite candidate to replace Begiristain.

The former Newcastle United midfielder has since become a very successful sporting director and has held the role with the Portuguese champions since 2018.

In that time, Sporting have managed to break the Porto and Benfica stranglehold on the Primeira Liga title twice as well as winning the Portuguese Cup once and the League Cup three times.

Working together well with manager Ruben Amorim, Viana has signed the likes of free-scoring Viktor Gyokeres, as well as Manuel Ugarte, Marcos Edwards, Pedro Porro, Ousmane Diomande and Morten Hjulmand to great success.

He has also overseen huge sales of the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Raphinha, as well as the aforementioned Ugarte and Porro, and his proven track record, as well as his experience of English football, will be appealing to the City Football Group.

Mateu Alemany

Alemany has led a colourful career in football in his native Spain. He is a former CEO and president of Real Mallorca, the former manager of Valencia and most recently the sporting director at Barcelona.

Alemany spent two years at Camp Nou between 2021 and 2023 and oversaw the signings of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha ahead of Barcelona winning the La Liga title in 2022/23.

He was replaced by Deco but reports have even suggested that Barcelona president Joan Laporta loved working with Alemany so much he would be open for him to return to Catalonia and finding a way for both men to work together.

Alemany has been linked with a role in the Spanish football federation, as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, but he is still currently out of work.

He is highly regarded, has a relationship with Guardiola and could be one to watch as City look for Begiristain's successor.

Andoni Zubizarreta

The Porto sporting director has admirers at City and is a former team-mate of Guardiola and Begiristain for both Barcelona and Spain.

He only joined the Portuguese giants this summer, which may prove to be a stumbling block, but he has vast experience as a sporting director.

The 62-year-old has held roles with Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona, Marseille and Monterrey and could be tempted to bring his knowledge to English football after working across four different countries.

The City Group option

Girona sporting director Quique Carcel has impressed working for another City Football Group club, overseeing the Spanish side's unlikely qualification to this season's Champions League in La Liga last term.

Guardiola's brother, Pere, owns a stake in the club alongside the City Group and he would be known to the City manager if he opted to make the move to Manchester.

However, a report in The Telegraph suggests there is an expectation he will remain with the Spanish side beyond this season.

Omar Berrada approach

When Omar Berrada left Manchester City to become CEO at rivals Manchester United, City never actually replaced him.

City like to promote from within, with Rodolfo Borrell, Carlos Vicens and Enzo Maresca all examples of Guardiola assistants who had previously been in the club's academy. That philosophy also applies to the operational side of the club, with extended opportunities given by the City Football Group umbrella.

Begiristain has led a talented team during his tenure at City and it wouldn't be a major surprise if someone within that team is promoted from within to replace them.

City have been so successful on and off the pitch that major departures don't leave a major hole within the club. Begiristain's departure will obviously hurt City but they are in a position where they can simply accept it and move on.