Manchester City pair Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain are already planning beyond Pep Guardiola’s reign at the Etihad Stadium, according to the Sunday Express.
The empowered duo are reportedly lining up Patrick Vieira as the man to replace Pep Guardiola, who they believe is unlikely to stay with the club beyond his three-year contract.
Vieira, 39, is currently in charge of Manchester City’s sibling club, New York City, after spending two years at the helm of the Citizens’ Elite Development Squad.
Soriano and Begiristain are keen to nurture the Senegal-born coach for the next three years and are hoping to name him as Guardiola’s successor.
The French international rejected the managerial position at Newcastle last season after talks in Tyneside but became publically frustrated that he was not the manager of a senior team.
This prompted the Sky Blues’ hierarchy to offer him the position in America to keep him within the City Football Group, which contains four teams including Manchester City.
Vieira is seen as the long-term option for City and the Citizens’ managing director of football services, Brian Marwood, is keen for the former Arsenal anchor to return to the Sportscity complex.
Hopefully, at some point he’ll come back and manage Manchester City. That’s the ambition for him and for us.
