Manchester City looks to have been given the green light to appoint former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, with his former club confirming he has now been released from his contract.
Lijnders was of course a long-standing member of the Reds’ backroom staff across two spells on Merseyside, with the Dutchman serving as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant for much his time at the club.
The 42-year-old left Liverpool alongside Klopp last summer, before taking up the manager’s job at Red Bull Salzburg. However, his time in charge in Austria didn’t last long, despite him raiding his former club for the signings of midfielders Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajcetic.
Lijnders was fired by Salzburg back in December after just a few months in the job, and has been out of work since.
However, he looks set to return to the Premier League this summer, with City coming calling for his services.
Lijnders is understood to have agreed personal terms to join Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at the Etihad Stadium, and City have now been given the go-ahead for the appointment by Salzburg.
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The Austrian club confirmed on Wednesday that Lijnders’ contract has now been terminated following his dismissal at the end of 2024, leaving him free to take up his new role with Liverpool’s league rival.
Guardiola will be hoping to draw on some of Lijnders’ experience from his spell at Anfield, during which time the Reds were crowned champions of England, Europe and the world.
And Klopp is under no doubt as to what City will be getting, having credited much of Liverpool’s success to his long-term assistant.
"The most influential guy in the last years at this club was definitely Pep Lijnders," Klopp said. "The job he did is absolutely exceptional. The inspiration he is for me is absolutely exceptional."
Lijnders isn’t the only former Liverpool staff member set to make the move to the Etihad this summer.
Analyst James French is set to make the move to City as well, having spent the last 13 years at Anfield after joining the club during Brendan Rodgers’ time in charge.
The Athletic reports that French is expected to take up a role focused on set-piece coaching and analysis at City, having been an “integral” part of Liverpool’s success during Klopp’s time in charge.