Sporting Club de Portugal manager Rúben Amorim has insisted Hugo Viana’s move to Manchester City does not mean he will be heading there also.
O Jogo cover comments from the Sporting boss at a press conference today when the subject of Viana’s impending move to Manchester City was put to him.
Viana is set to move to the Etihad next summer to replace Txiki Begiristain as director of football, with the Spaniard having announced he would be leaving the position at the end of the season last week.
Viana was quickly named as a potential successor before Sporting confirmed in an official press release on the weekend that a deal had already been done.
Viana’s move has quickly seen Amorim linked with a potential switch too, particularly as it remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola will extend his current deal with Manchester City, which expires next summer.
Amorim and Viana enjoy a superb working relationship that’s worked to great effect at Sporting over the last few years.
A reunion at Manchester City would certainly make sense if Guardiola were to depart but Amorim has insisted there is nothing on the cards despite Viana being on his way there.
“Viana will always be a great friend, but one day his professional trajectory will be different,” he said.
“One thing does not lead to another. The main focus is that nothing has changed at Sporting. Viana will only leave at the end of the season. Until then, he is the sports director, there are no changes in this aspect.
“We didn’t talk about it (him moving also) at all. They are two completely different paths. People made that connection, but Hugo Viana’s path is Hugo Viana’s path, my path is my path. We have a professional relationship, it won’t last for always, what will remain is our friendly relationship, that’s for sure.”
