Overview

• Manchester City have appointed Pepijn Lijnders as assistant coach and James French as set-piece coach in their first major backroom changes under Pep Guardiola this summer.
• Lijnders returns to England after six months as RB Salzburg head coach and previous roles under Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
• French brings 13 years of experience from Liverpool, where he served as first-team opposition analyst before specializing in set-piece coaching.
• Director of Football Hugo Viana praised their experience, work ethic and alignment with Guardiola’s tactical principles.
• City will field the revamped coaching team as they defend their Club World Cup title in the United States starting June 14 ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.