Txiki Begiristain to leave Man City with inevitable Pep Guardiola question as 'successor chosen'

Txiki Begiristain is set to leave Manchester City in the summer, with a replacement reportedly already lined up.

Begiristain is the influential Director of Football who helped lure Pep Guardiola to the Etihad, and has been a key player in the 12 years of success that has followed his appointment. Having joined from Barcelona where he held the same post, Begiristain oversaw Guardiola's appointment with Barcelona B and then the first team. The pair were teammates for Barca in their playing days.

Having left Barcelona in 2010, Begiristain joined City two years later and was able to tempt his former colleague Guardiola to Manchester in 2016. He has overseen the signings of players like David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri and Erling Haaland.

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Now, it is thought that Begiristain will step down at the end of the season in a move that will come as no surprise to his colleagues at the club. Reports suggest he always planned to leave his role when he turned 60, having already extended that end-point by five years.

He enjoys a close relationship with Guardiola and speaks to the manager every day. Guardiola himself is out of contract next summer and the expectation is that he is more likely to step away himself rather than sign a new contract. The news that Begiristain is set to leave will add another dynamic to Guardiola's decision over whether to sign a contract extension or not - with his closest ally at the club not there after the summer.

City are thought to have moved quickly to secure a successor for Begiristain's key role, with reports claiming an appointment has been made with a start date early in 2025. That will allow a transition period for his successor - who is reportedly well known in European football.