Former Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders is set to join Pep Guardiola and his backroom staff at Manchester City.
Ljinders was Jurgen Klopp’s No2 during Liverpool’s greatest years under the German when they won the Premier League in 2020 and Champions League in 2019.
Recent departures of Guardiola’s assistants Juanma Lillo and Inigo Dominguez has left the Catalan looking to bolster his coaching team, with Carlos Vicens also leaving the club to become head coach at SC Braga in Portugal.
Ljinders left Anfield alongside Klopp one year ago to take over at Red Bull Salzburg as head coach - but was sacked in December after a poor start to the season.
The Dutchman, 42, was interviewed by Championship side Norwich City before they opted for Bristol City’s Liam Manning.
Juanma Lillo, left, and Inigo Dominguez have left Manchester City after the expiration of their contracts (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Juanma Lillo, left, and Inigo Dominguez have left Manchester City after the expiration of their contracts (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Ljinders had two spells under Klopp, of which was split by a short stay in charge of NEC Nijmegen, and was championed by the German who is viewed as one of the greatest managers in the club’s history.
Other candidates include Kolo Toure, brother of City legend Yaya, who returned to the club last season as assistant under-18s coach.
Toure spent four years at the club from 2009 to 2013 and appeared 82 times in defence. He then had a three-year stay at Liverpool before ending his playing career at Celtic in 2017, where he would take up a coaching role.
Coaching was always an ambition of Toure’s and his first senior vacancy was at Wigan Athletic when he joined in November 2022 on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
However, Toure’s side lost their third consecutive game by the scoreline of 4-1, and dropped to rock bottom in the Championship as a result. Toure was sacked by Wigan in late January 2023.