Manchester City have reportedly started to plan for life after Pep Guardiola by giving Dutch coach Giovani van Bronckhorst an access-all-areas role at the club.
The Catalan boss moved to Manchester in 2016 and has since made history by recording 100 and 98 points in successive triumphant Premier League campaigns between 2017 and 2019.
Van Bronckhorst, meanwhile, has spent the last month working behind the scenes at City in a role the club has described as an informal arrangement designed to help him further develop his expertise.
However, according to The Mirror, City have brought the Dutch coach to the Etihad in order to gain a deeper understanding of the squad and of how the club operates ahead of eventually assuming a managerial role.
Van Bronckhorst, who is working closely with the heavily influential Brian Marwood, City's Football Administration Officer, will be given insights into how the club works at board level as well as its coaching setup and scouting network.
Guardiola has previously spoken of how he personally deems it necessary to not remain rooted at one particular club and instead consistently seek new projects.