Ex-Liverpool Assistant Pep Lijnders Joins Manchester City Coaching Team

On Tuesday, Manchester City announced the addition of two former coaches from Liverpool to Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff, including Pepijn Lijnders, who previously served as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant.

The Dutch coach joins the team at the Etihad Stadium alongside James French, a new set-piece coach who has dedicated the last 13 years of his career to Liverpool.

These new appointments come in the wake of the departure of three members from Guardiola’s backroom team.

Lijnders, aged 42, has experience working under both Brendan Rodgers and Klopp during his time at Liverpool.

He left the club with Klopp at the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign and subsequently became the head coach at Red Bull Salzburg, a position he held until his dismissal in December.

City’s director of football, Hugo Viana, expressed that “Pepijn and James bring a wealth of experience from their respective roles over the last few years.”

“Their talent, dedication, work ethic, and overall commitment align perfectly with the values that Pep instils in the style of football he advocates.”

Guardiola’s squad faced a lackluster 2024/25 season, finishing third in the Premier League and missing out on any silverware for the first time in eight years.

They will head to the United States as the defending champions for the expanded 32-team Club World Cup, having previously secured the title under its former format in Saudi Arabia two years ago.

The tournament will kick off on June 14, with City set to begin their campaign against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia four days later.