Man City can finally beat Man Utd to £60m transfer target thanks to Hugo Viana

Manchester City might be able to beat rivals Manchester United to the signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri with the help of incoming sporting director Hugo Viana. Both clubs have been linked with the Wolves left-back but it could be City who win the race.

The Premier League champions announced that Viana will join as director of football from next season. The Portuguese guru will join from Sporting Lisbon, replacing the long-serving Txiki Begiristain.

Viana is one of the most highly-rated minds in European football and was the mastermind behind Sporting appointing young coach Ruben Amorim, who has since been linked with some of the world’s biggest clubs.

And according to the Daily Mail, there are whispers that Viana’s arrival at City could raise the influence of super-agent Jorge Mendes at the Etihad Stadium. Mendes already has a number of clients playing for the club but his presence could potentially aid City’s transfer business.

Ait-Nouri is one player who is represented by the 58-year-old. Journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that City and United are both interested in the £60million-rated star.

The Algeria international has excelled for Wolves and both City and United could benefit from a strengthening their left-back position. But if Mendes has influence alongside Viana, City might have the upper-hand in beating their rivals to a blockbuster transfer.

Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Matheus Nunes are also clients of Gestifute, the agency founded by Mendes. Among the management company’s stable are Lamine Yamal, Warren Zaire-Emery and Joao Neves.

Viana will join City at a time of transition. He is set to learn under Begiristain before taking on the role full-time ahead of the 2024-25 season.

In the meantime, the 41-year-old might have influence over Pep Guardiola’s future. The City boss has a contract that expires at the end of the season. He has not renewed his terms and could leave after a trophy-laden eight-year spell.

Towards the end of last season, Guardiola raised doubts over his future by admitting he was “closer to leaving than staying”. But he has since played down speculation over his possible departure.

“One of the reasons I extended my contract two times is because Txiki is here,” Guardiola said of Begiristain in an interview with the BBC.

“We work together incredibly well. When we win, we try to analyse why. When we lose we try to analyse why. We don’t judge the other one. We both work for the best for this club. That’s why it’s a joy to work here with people like Txiki.”