Sunday, 28th October, 2012
As reported likely last week, Manchester City have appointed former Barcelona sporting director Txiki Begiristain in a shake-up of the club’s management structure.
Citizens CEO Ferran Soriano, who also worked at Barcelona, has brought in his countryman Begiristain as director of football, with the Spaniard overseeing transfers at the Etihad Stadium.
Begiristain was responsible for player recruitment at Barcelona between 2003 until 2010 and is credited with being behind the Catalan club’s best signings of the last decade.
The Spaniard is expected to bring in his long-time right hand man Joan Patsy, and will help him in the field of transfers and operations, working closely with manager Roberto Mancini.
Begiristain will report directly to CEO Soriano and has been quick to express his delight.
"I am very pleased indeed to have been offered such an exciting opportunity", he told his new club’s official site.
relatedNewsStory"The progress and on field achievements at Manchester City are plain for all to see and I am honoured to have been asked to contribute to its future success.
"I am very much looking forward to working with Brian Marwood [managing director at the City Football Academy in the new structure, ed.], Roberto Mancini and Ferran Soriano in continuing to build a football team and philosophy which will serve Manchester City well in the near and long term future."
