Viana was City’s top target, says Guardiola

Pep Guardiola says Hugo Viana was the top choice to become Manchester City’s new director of football and he is looking forward to meeting him.

Txiki Begiristain will step away from his current role at the end of the season after 12 trophy-laden years at the Etihad Stadium.

He will be succeeded by Viana, who is currently at Sporting CP, who City face in the Champions League on Tuesday night at 20:00 (UK).

Guardiola says he has been impressed by the success of his relationship with Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, who is also set to move to Manchester, but heading to United.

“I am looking forward to speaking to him - he is in touch with Ferran Soriano and Txiki and hopefully in the next months, weeks we will be in touch,” he said.

“Hugo was the first option. There were other alternatives that were interviewed by the Club but I didn’t intervene in this matter.

“Ruben Amorim has been known for many years and they know about the way he plays. There’s nothing better for a trainer than working for a team that is convinced the coach is the right coach.

“For many years, Porto and Benfica were the best teams in Portugal and Ruben was able to break that and he did so because he did a lot of things right.”

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Guardiola is set to face Amorim again in less than six weeks’ time when we play the first Manchester Derby of the season at the Etihad Stadium.

The Portuguese coach was very complimentary of the City boss in his own press conference describing him as the best in the world.

Amorim says he has improved since our last meeting at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in February 2022 when we won 5-0, but says our manager has too.

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Guardiola said: “I am pretty sure I agree he is excellent and he improved a lot.

“[It’s good] when you have the same page with the sporting director - and I had a feeling he and Viana were really close.

“I am pretty sure I am a better manager than when I started. It’s not an issue. I never pretend to be better than the others.

“I want to be better than the opponent and deserve to win the game. This is my only target.”

City are currently third in the 36-league table on seven points the same as Sporting ahead of the clash.