“Assistant’s Insight: Joining Klopp’s Man City”

Manchester City is finalizing a deal to add Pep Lijnders to Pep Guardiola’s revamped backroom staff, sources have informed ESPN.

Lijnders, who previously worked as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool, will take over the role previously held by Juan Marillo, whose contract at the Etihad Stadium concludes this summer.

Additionally, fellow assistant Aigo Dominguez has departed, along with set-piece coach Carlos Vivens, who has accepted the position of head coach at Portugal’s Braga.

According to sources, talks with Lijnders have gone well, and there is anticipation that the club will announce this appointment after finalizing other staff changes with Guardiola.

Lijnders started his tenure at Liverpool in 2014 under Brendan Rodgers and worked closely with Klopp from his arrival at Anfield in October 2015.

After serving as head coach for the Dutch team NEC in 2018, Lijnders returned to Liverpool six months later.

He departed alongside Klopp last summer and was appointed as head coach for Red Bull Salzburg ahead of the 2024-25 season.

However, he was dismissed in December after just 29 games in charge.

In other news, sources revealed that City is looking to secure a contract for Lyon forward Rayangzerki.

The 21-year-old is seen as an alternative to Florian Wiltz, who is nearing a transfer to Liverpool, while interest in Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs White also persists.

Furthermore, sources indicated that City aims to sign Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders before the FIFA Club World Cup.

Clubs can finalize player signings before tournaments in the U.S. from June 1st to June 10th.

Players not involved with Guardiola or international matches will return to training on June 9th, with plans to travel to their Florida training base prior to the opening match against Widad AC in Philadelphia on June 12th.