Klopp's ex-assistant Lijnders joins Pep's City staff

Jürgen Klopp's former assistant coach at Liverpool, Pep Lijnders, has joined Pep Guardiola's staff at Manchester City.

Lijnders replaces Juanma Lilo as Guardiola's assistant coach. City also confirmed another arrival from Liverpool on Tuesday in the form of set-piece coach James French.

French joined Liverpool's backroom team in 2012 and has gone on to spend more than a decade at Anfield, working as first team opposition analyst.

"We are all delighted that Pepijn and James have joined our senior coaching set-up," City's director of football Hugo Viana said in a statement.

"Pepijn and James have each amassed huge experience working in their individual roles over the past few years.

"Their talent, application, work ethic and all-round commitment are totally aligned with the values that underpin how Pep wants football to be played.

"And I have no doubt at all that both will prove to be very important assets for Pep and his coaching team as we prepare for the Club World Cup and then the 2025/26 season."

Lijnders initially joined Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers in 2014 and, after a brief spell as head coach of Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in 2018, returned to work under Klopp.

The 42-year-old was part of the coaching team that helped deliver Liverpool's sixth Champions League title in 2019 and first Premier League triumph the following year.

He announced his departure along with Klopp last summer and was named head coach of Red Bull Salzburg ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Lijnders has been out of work since December after being dismissed by the Austrian side after just 29 games.