Former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders joins Man City coaching team

City also announced the arrival of James French, Liverpool's long-serving set-piece coach and opposition analyst, as part of a broader backroom reshuffle.

"We're delighted that Pepijn and James have joined our senior coaching set-up," said City's director of football Hugo Viana. "They bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to the values that define how Pep wants the game to be played."

Lijnders, 42, was a key figure in Jurgen Klopp's coaching team, having first joined Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers in 2014. After a brief managerial spell with NEC Nijmegen in 2018, he returned to Anfield to work under Klopp, contributing to Liverpool's Champions League win in 2019 and their Premier League title in 2020.

He departed Liverpool alongside Klopp at the end of last season and was appointed head coach at Red Bull Salzburg. However, Lijnders' tenure in Austria was cut short in December after just 29 matches.

French, who joined Liverpool in 2012, worked closely with Klopp's staff over more than a decade, specializing in opposition analysis and set-piece strategy.

Their appointments bolster Guardiola's bench as City prepares for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup and looks ahead to the 2025/26 campaign.

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