Sources: Influential sporting director planning simultaneous exit alongside Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola

Manchester City sporting director Txiki Begiristain is planning to simultaneously depart the club alongside manager Pep Guardiola, City Xtra understand.

The 59-year-old has been at Manchester City since October 2012, and as well as spearheading success at the Etihad Stadium, Begiristain is credited with building Barcelona’s most successful squads between 2003 and 2010.

Begiristain has overseen seven Premier League title wins under the management of Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola, with Manchester City winning a total of 19 trophies since his arrival at the club.

As well as winning the Premier League, the Sky Blues have enjoyed domestic success in the FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield. City have also recently enjoyed continental and global success, winning a maiden Champions League in June 2023, and lifting both the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup earlier this season.

Txiki Begiristain has played an influential role in the selection of the Blues’ past two head coaches, with the former forward also playing a major role in Guardiola’s appointment as Barcelona manager in 2008.

During his time at the Etihad Stadium, Begiristain has overseen the completion of dozens of major transfers, including the signings of Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, and Erling Haaland.

Begiristain and Guardiola have an incredibly close relationship, with the Manchester City manager set to imminently enter the final 12-months of his current contract, which is due to expire in 2025.

The 53-year-old has penned three contract extensions since arriving from Bayern Munich in 2016, but could depart following the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in the USA at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

A number of recent reports have suggested that both Guardiola and Begiristain could be planning a future exit from the club, with the Manchester City manager previously linked with a switch to international management.

City Xtra understand that although a date for the pair’s departure from the Etihad Stadium remains unknown, sporting director Begiristain is planning to simultaneously depart alongside manager Guardiola.

The Manchester City boss has not ruled out extending his future beyond 2025, however when the Catalan coach departs east Manchester, it is understood that Txiki Begiristain intends to also leave his role at the club.

Begiristain is set for another busy summer of business at the Etihad Stadium and City Football Academy, with Manchester City expected to make a number of additions to their first-team squad ahead of the new campaign.

The treble-winners are set to bolster their midfield and attacking options, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich and Dani Olmo all mooted as potential targets in recent media reports.

A decision related to the Premier League’s case against Manchester City for a series of alleged financial breaches could also be announced before the end of the 2024/25 season, further impacting the plans of both Guardiola and Begiristain.

Etihad officials have also recently seen former chief football operations officer Omar Berrada become Manchester United’s new CEO, where he is expected to begin work in July following a period of gardening leave.