October 12, (THEWILL) – Sporting CP have announced that Hugo Viana, their current sporting director, will transfer to Manchester City for the 2025/2026 season. The Portuguese club confirmed this development in an official statement released on Saturday. Viana, who has held his position at Sporting since 2018/2019, previously worked briefly at Belenenses in 2017/2018.
The move comes as Manchester City prepare for the departure of Txiki Begiristain, their Spanish director of 12 years. Viana’s success at Sporting, particularly following the appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach, along with his astute transfer market decisions, caught the attention of the English champions.
Sporting have outlined plans for a restructure of their football department. Bernardo Palmeiro, who served as the club’s executive advisor from 2020 to 2023, will assume the role of general manager of football. Palmeiro will work alongside Flavio Costa, the current scouting director, reporting directly to club president Frederico Varandas.
The Portuguese club emphasised that Viana will remain fully committed to Sporting until the end of the current season. They also acknowledged his significant contribution to establishing a high-level professional football structure at the club. Sporting expressed their determination to continue the growth and success achieved in recent seasons.
This transition marks a significant shift in the football management landscape, with Viana’s move potentially influencing both clubs’ strategies in the coming years. Manchester City will gain a director with proven success in talent development and team building while Sporting will face the challenge of maintaining their momentum under a new organisational structure.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
