Hugo Viana progresses overhaul as Manchester City appoint new Director of Performance | OneFootball

Manchester City have appointed Federico Genovesi as their new Director of Performance ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

City have taken the summer transfer window by the scruff of the neck after a sub-standard 2024-25 season that saw Pep Guardiola’s side record third-place Premier League and Round of 16 UEFA Champions League finishes respectively.

Hugo Viana has been appointed as director of football to orchestrate a major revamp at the Etihad Stadium – and the Portuguese has not wasted any time whatsoever since replacing Txiki Begiristain.

Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki were all signed in the first week of June and registered in time to be eligible for the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the United States.

After the most difficult season of his managerial career by his own admission, Guardiola has been given a new lease of life by the Manchester City board with a timely injection of fresh blood and new legs into his squad.

Kevin De Bruyne and Scott Carson have left the club at the end of their contracts, with Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish also expected to find new clubs ahead of the new season – having all been left out of the Club World Cup squad.

City have also shuffled their pack behind the scenes recently, notably promoting Chris Elderkin to Head of Physical Performance to replace Donough Holohan this month, with Viana plotting a significant change at the club in a crossroads summer window.

Guardiola has also recruited Pepijn Lijnders and James French as assistants after long-serving trio Juanma Lillo, Carlos Vicens and Inigo Dominguez left the club at the end of their respective contracts. Kolo Toure is also part of Guardiola’s staff for the Club World Cup.

The Training Ground Guru is reporting that Manchester City have now promoted Federico Genovesi to Director of Performance, with the Italian replacing James Thomas, who has departed the club after three-and-a-half years to become Performance Director for Warwickshire Cricket.

City have acted early in the summer window and are expected to return to the market to progress their pursuit of a new right-back, with Newcastle’s Valentino Livramento and Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso reported to be of interest.

Outgoings in the first-team are expected to dominate the headlines in the coming weeks as Manchester City look to trim their squad and wage bill, with John Stones linked with a possible departure after another injury-riddled season that saw the 31-year-old, who is into the final year of his contract, struggle for fitness and thereby minutes.

City will also make decisions on loans for rising academy stars who need regular game time, with Juma Bah set to join OGC Nice for the new campaign. James McAtee is also expected to complete a permanent transfer away from the Etihad Stadium to progress his career.