Former Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool assistant set to join Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City are set to appoint former Liverpool assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders into their backroom staff ahead of the new season, it has been revealed.

The fast-moving situation concerning Manchester City’s coaching structure comes just days after the club confirmed a trio of exits from Pep Guardiola’s long-standing collective of backroom staff members.

Following their respective contract expiries at the end of the last season, City announced that assistant manager Juanma Lillo and technical coach Inigo Dominguez would both be leaving their posts at the Etihad Stadium.

The former had expressed a desire to return to his home of Spain, while the pair were not the only exits with Carlos Vicens – who held responsibility as a set-piece coach – would also bring an end to his stay via his first steps into a senior managerial position.

Despite Manchester City’s attempts at prolonging his association with the club through a contract renewal offer, Vicens opted to take up the position of head coach at Portuguese side SC Braga.

As such, with the FIFA Club World Cup pending and plans for the new season well underway within the Etihad Stadium offices, City officials have moved fast to secure a new addition – and a familiar face – into their first-team coaching staff.

According to The Times, former Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders – who worked directly alongside ex-Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp – is now set to be appointed into Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff at Manchester City.

Previous reporting courtesy of Fabrizio Romano has indicated that City have also taken a keen interest in former central defender Kolo Toure making the step up into the first-team structure, with the Ivorian currently operating within their Academy system.

It remains to be seen how soon any new appointments could formally become part of Guardiola’s coaching staff, with the understanding being that two members of the Elite Development Squad dugout will make the step up on a temporary basis this summer.

With Manchester City expected to travel with an extensive squad list to the United States for the Club World Cup, it is believed that a wide range of Academy stars could be granted the experience to work in a first-team environment.

As such, it has been reported that Under-21 head coach Ben Wilkinson will work directly alongside Guardiola in the US this summer, as well as his own assistant from the youth set-up, Craig Mudd.