Manchester City 'poach key Arne Slot ally from Liverpool's backroom team'

Manchester City are 'poaching a key member of Arne Slot's Liverpool backroom staff', having already agreed a deal with Jurgen Klopp's ex-assistant Pep Lijnders.

Head of opposition analysis, James French, who has worked at Anfield for 13 years, is now set to depart and join Liverpool's Premier League rivals to work closely with Pep Guardiola, according to the Athletic.

In a blow to the English champions, the Portuguese born member of the backroom team will work on set-piece coaching in addition to analysis at the Etihad.

French will be reunited with Lijnders, who he worked closely with on Merseyside during Klopp's tenure.

Liverpool now face the task of reshuffling their backroom staff, having already lost Slot's assistant John Heitinga to Ajax in the last week.

It is fascinating to see Guardiola target the staff of his former rival in Klopp as he aims to pick their brains for new tactical innovation and ideas.

After a disappointing season, one in which City failed to bring home any silverware, the Spaniard is making sweeping changes behind the scenes.

Juanma Lillo, Carlos Vicens, and Inigo Dominguez are all leaving and Guardiola is seeking fresh faces to challenge and inspire him.

Lijinders in particular could be regarded as a coup, given his loyalty to Klopp and previous admission that he would only leave Liverpool when his great friend and mentor did, to take a head coaching role.

He did just that with the top job at RB Salzburg but was sacked after just seven months at the helm.

Norwich City interviewed the 42-year-old Dutchman but ultimately the temptation to work with Guardiola appears to have superseded any loyalty to Liverpool or ambitions to hold another head coaching role.

He will be in place at City before their first game of the Club World Cup on June 18.

It is a summer of great change for Guardiola, who already splashed out on players in January and is continuing to bolster the squad with Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki set to join ahead of next season.