Carlos Vicens set for Manchester City exit as top job in Portugal awaits | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola is set to lose another of his assistant coaches in the coming days as SC Braga reach an agreement to take on a new manager, according to reports.

It is the latest in a long line of ambitious tacticians plying their trade at Manchester City to then seek out a more senior role within the game to further their managerial careers beyond the tutelage of Guardiola.

Perhaps the most notable cases in recent seasons are Mikel Arteta and his journey at the Etihad Stadium, only to become a hugely influential and successful figure within Arsenal’s rise to a top-level competitive club.

Over at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea are also now under the guidance of a former Manchester City head coach, having hired Enzo Maresca from Leicester City after his spell in Italy that followed a career under Guardiola and within the Etihad’s Academy system.

And as another season comes to a close, it appears as though Manchester City will have to begin the 2025/26 campaign without a key figure from their current roster of backroom staff as negotiations seemingly conclude in Portugal.

That is according to the information of Record in Portugal, who report that Manchester City assistant coach Carlos Vicens is now set to become the new manager of Portuguese giants SC Braga, with full confirmation of the agreement to come next week.

It is revealed that the contractual agreement between both parties should run for at least three seasons due to the ambitious nature of the project at the club regarding their ambition to fight for the top-flight crown.

The 42-year-old coach is said to fit the profile desired by Braga officials, in being an ambitious coach prepared to take a step forward in his career, and now taking on his biggest challenge and opportunity to date.

Vicens has become a heavily trusted ally of Pep Guardiola over the last few seasons, and even turned his back on an opportunity to take up a lead managerial role in the Netherlands to stand alongside his Etihad colleague.

Speaking during an interview last summer, Vicens also spoke openly about the future of Pep Guardiola, insisting upon the belief that it would only be right to give the Catalan coach the space to decide upon his own future – which ultimately ended in an extended stay at the club.

“We have to leave Pep alone now and let him recover from the season,” Carlos Vicens told an interview in Spain following a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title win.

It remains to be seen how Manchester City will look to replace Carlos Vicens in their team of backroom staff working directly with Pep Guardiola, and whether an internal promotion could take place or an external candidate is brought into the team.