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Topics: Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp
Josh Lawless
Pep Guardiola could be about to link up with a Jurgen Klopp favourite in a shock turn of events, it has emerged.
It's set to be a summer of change at Manchester City after they failed to challenge for the Premier League title and lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace.
There has been plenty of speculation on players who could be heading towards the exit but there have already been confirmed departures in City's coaching set-up as part of a major reshuffle.
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Assistant coaches Juanma Lillo and Inigo Dominguez will leaving when their contracts expire, while Carlos Vicens, another key member of the backroom staff, has agreed to take his first steps in management with SC Braga in Portugal.
Guardiola is looking for further assistance in preparing his team and according to Fabrizio Romano, Klopp's former right-hand man Pep Lijnders is one of the leading contenders.
Lijnders was an essential part of Klopp's Liverpool team who won the Champions League and Premier League and left with the German in 2024 before taking the manager's job at Red Bull Salzburg.
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He was relieved of his duties in December and has been out of work since then.
Former Arsenal, City and Liverpool defender Kolo Toure is also in contention to be promoted from his role as assistant manager of City's youth team.
He previously held roles at Celtic and Leicester under Brendan Rodgers and had a brief stint in charge of Wigan Athletic.
Confirming the impending departures in City's coaching team, a club statement said: "The assistant coaches to succeed Juanma, Inigo and Carlos will be announced in due course.
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"Everyone at Manchester City wishes Juanma, Inigo and Carlos the very best and thanks them for their contributions to a hugely successful period for the Club."
Since taking the City job in 2016, there have been a slew of coaches who have come and gone under Guardiola - including Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca.
According to the Daily Mail, Ben Wilkinson and his assistant Craig Mudd will assist the Catalan for the Club World Cup after leading City's Under 21 side to the Premier League 2 title.