Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City backroom staff face uncertain future as contract talks begin | OneFootball

Manchester City could be set for a shake-up of backroom staff working around Pep Guardiola as talks over contract renewals begin at the club, according to reports.

The latest development accompanies a long line of expected recruitment projects undertaken in the first-team squad, with as many as four new arrivals expected before outgoings are even considered by the club over the summer months.

Several additions are expected in midfield with intense and developing interest concerning AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders, while Lyon’s Rayan Cherki has now been added to a shortlist of potential attacking midfield signings alongside Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.

And with those squad changes also extending into the defensive unit, alterations are now set to involve the backroom staff at the Etihad Stadium, with three exits already confirmed and talks underway to outline the futures of other members of Pep Guardiola’s team.

Assistant manager Juanma Lillo is expected to depart the club alongside technical coach Inigo Dominguez – both of whom have seen their respective contracts expire with no extension offered by the club.

While a renewal approach was made to Carlos Vicens, who also operates as City’s set-piece coach, he is set to take on his first senior managerial role in football by becoming the new head coach of SC Braga in Portugal.

According to the information of MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff at the Etihad Stadium are now ready for talks with Manchester City over contract renewals looking towards the new season.

It is revealed that no offers to any of Guardiola’s closest allies in his dugout had been forthcoming prior to the final day of the 2024/25 season, although City have now started the process of discussing fresh terms with coaches this week.

With only a few weeks until City head out to the FIFA Club World Cup, it is revealed that existing deals are due to expire in the middle of the tournament while delay in negotiations for coaches on 12-month deals had created some confusion among the backroom team.

As for the position taken by incoming director of football Hugo Viana on the matter, it is pointed out that the Portuguese official will be formulating a view on Manchester City’s coaching set-up.

For now, it remains to be seen what sort of names could be targeted for a move into Pep Guardiola’s new-look backroom team ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup and particularly the new domestic season in August.

There have been widespread links to Fernandinho taking up a role, however the club have been keen to deny such a possibility from taking place on two separate occasions in recent months, most recently as last week.