According to reports, Ex-Manchester City star Fernandinho is said to have been offered a new coaching role back at the club.
The former captain and club legend is said to have been contacted directly by both Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain regarding the job.
As per independent outlet and dedicated fan site CityXtra, Guardiola has invited Fernandinho to join his senior coaching staff, with the club’s outgoing football director formalising the offer.
It is yet unclear as to whether the Brazilian box-to-box midfielder turned deep-lying playmaker has accepted the proposal at this time, but it is believed he would become “an assistant coach in the Catalan’s first-team staffing structure.”
EXCLUSIVO: Fernandinho recebeu uma proposta do Manchester City para integrar a comissão técnica do clube.
EXCLUSIVE: Fernandinho has received a proposal to join the Manchester City coaching staff.
Having recently graduated from a club management course at FIFA back in January 2025 – earning him the qualification to work with teams in a professional backroom capacity – he is one of several recently retired City players who have pursued coaching badges, including Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta.
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As a key cog in the middle of the park at the Etihad for many years, playing an integral part in what made those early Pep teams tick as they do with Rodri now the linchpin in the squad, you would assume the 39-year-old’s football intelligence would be an excellent addition to the first-team set-up.
To reinforce the veracity of these reports, speaking in a recent clip from the City Studios exclusive documentary, Life After Football, Fernandinho said: “I miss them, they miss me and, sometime soon, we’re going to be together.”
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Whether or not he was referring to this role in particular, only time will tell, but logic would dictate he’s looking to get first-team coaching experience rather than simply returning as an ambassador for instance.
Although exact details are still scarce and we have no indication of what stage discussions are currently at, the consensus from the supporters seems to be that it’s pretty much a no-brainer.
Fernandinho on the #ManCity fans: “I miss them, they miss me and sometime soon we’re going to be together…” 🩵 pic.twitter.com/J90lt9hOmA
Fernandinho only just retired at the end of 2024 after his time at Athletico Paranaense back in his home country came to an end.
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While he may have been forced to change his playing style as he got older, in his prime he was still one of Man City’s best and most important players for a very long time, not to mention a standout in the Premier League full stop.
Making 383 appearances for the Blues, registering 26 goals and 29 assists from defensive midfield as he went on to win 14 trophies during his time in Manchester, Fernandinho is a City legend without question and we’d be surprised if anyone around the club wouldn’t like to seem his return in a coaching capacity.
Put it this way, if he does accept the opportunity, his knowledge and experience could prove crucial ahead of a tournament that is now bigger than ever this summer…
The 2027 World Climbing Series is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
In yet more huge sporting news for Greater Manchester, the 2027 World Climbing Series is coming to 0161 later this year.
We’ve had plenty of big peaks of late, but things seem to just keep going up and up.
Set to host the global event for the first time in our history, Manchester will welcome the World Climbing Series (WCS), which is set to include both Olympic and Paralympic disciplines ahead of the next Summer Games in 2028.
2027 will mark the 38th edition of the series, which will also be one of only a handful to be held in the North – it’s just down to our city to make it the best.
Officially announced on Friday, 16 January, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) confirmed the return to the UK.
Founded back in 1989, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) is coming up on four decades since the competition first began – Leeds being chosen as the inaugural hosts – the event has come a long way since then.
The IFSC’s rebranding of the annual bouldering, lead and speed trials to the modern WSC, which began last year, was initially revealed back in 2023.
Welcoming continental talent right down to the youth level, the upcoming 2026 World Climbing Series is taking place in the summer and will be hosted by the city of Innsbruck in Austria.
As for the WSC’s Manchester debut, which is being organised in collaboration with the City Council, Manchester Accommodation BID, MCR Active and the National Lottery via UK Sport investment.
It’s not the only big sporting celebration that the Council will be supporting in 2027.
Paul Ratcliffe, CEO of the British Mountaineering Council, said in an official statement: “It’s exciting to be able to confirm that a World Series climbing event will return to the UK in 2027 as part of the BMC’s major event programme.
“Hosting a competition of this scale in Manchester is a strong statement about the UK’s place on the international climbing stage and a great opportunity for our athletes, fans, the climbing community and the wider public to experience the sport at the very highest level.
“Our ‘Route to Adventure’ strategy sets out how we will build on moments like this to support people into climbing and help them progress, whatever their starting point. Using major events to inspire participation, strengthen pathways and reinforce our commitment to inclusion is central to our long-term approach.”
Scheduled to take place in June, you can find out more information about the 2027 World Climbing Series in Manchester by signing up for the official event mailing list HERE.
Manchester City agree deal to sign top Premier League defender Marc Guehi
Danny Jones
It looks like they’ve finally got a done deal: Manchester City have reportedly agreed a deal for the transfer of highly sought-after defender Marc Guehi.
Man City are said to have finally reached an agreement with Crystal Palace to sign the increasingly established Three Lions star after emerging as a suitor in recent weeks.
Pep Guardiola’s pursuit of the impressive Premier League centre-back ramped up earlier this month, as it became apparent that they were hoping to hijack Liverpool’s prospective move for Guehi.
The Ivory Coast-born England international looked all set to arrive at Anfield back in the summer, but the deal never materialised, and now rivals City appear to have sealed his signature.
According to breaking transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano, Palace and Man City are said to have now reached an agreement in principle for approximately £20 million.
It’s fair to say that it’s an absolute bargain for a player of his quality.
While details surrounding contract length, wages and add-ons, etc., are yet to be fully confirmed (as is final verification as per an official announcement via his new employers), personal terms are not expected to be an issue.
On the other hand, the acquisition will also see Man City’s total spending to roughly half a billion pounds over the past year alone. Staggering sums for any sporting outfit.
Not that his former London team will mind one bit, of course, as it became increasingly clear that Guehi would be leaving eventually; manager Oliver Glasner – who also seems set to depart at the end of his contract – even addressed the sale in his most recent press conference.
You can see the clip in question down below.
''I wish him all the best for the rest of his career, he will have a great career I think''
Once again, we will have to wait for the official unveiling at the Etihad Campus, but we’d say that this interview is all the verification you need.
With Man City currently facing multiple absences, particularly in their backline with both Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias out injured, Guehi’s arrival is no doubt a welcome one.
Although many debated whether or not Pep needed to sign another centre-half, especially with two promising youth players returning from loan, supporters will nevertheless be glad to have snatched him from the clutches of Liverpool.
Over in the women’s team, they’ve also brought in a new member of the squad who could help spur on their title charge.
Danny Jones -
7th March 2025 
