Why Guardiola’s New Number Two Could Be Man City’s Key Summer Signing

Why Guardiola’s New Number Two Could Be Man City’s Biggest Summer Signing

Manchester City have spent over £150m this summer, but their most transformative addition may not be a player. Pep Lijnders, former assistant to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, is now Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man at the Etihad.

While City have added dynamic talents like Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Omar Marmoush, and Rayan Ait-Nouri, it’s Lijnders’ arrival that signals a potential tactical revolution.

From Klopp to Pep: A Tactical Crossroads

Lijnders was pivotal in Liverpool’s evolution under Klopp—he led day-to-day training and helped craft a system defined by counter-pressing, vertical attacks, and intensity in transitions. His hiring raises eyebrows because these ideas often stood in contrast to Guardiola’s positional play model.

But Guardiola himself has acknowledged the winds of tactical change:

“Modern football is not positional. You have to ride the rhythm,”

– Pep Guardiola, TNT Sports

This is a remarkable statement from the man who defined positional football for over a decade. And it mirrors how City’s style has already started to evolve.

Stats That Support the Shift

A tactical analysis of City’s last two seasons reveals key changes:

• Possession dropped from 65.5% to 61.3%

• Fast breaks increased by 36%

• Direct long balls from Ederson became more frequent

• Progressive carries and dribbles skyrocketed with the arrivals of Cherki, Reijnders, and Marmoush

These are not typical Guardiola metrics. They’re Lijnders-style footballing blueprints.

Who Are the Players Leading the Evolution?

• Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders bring dribbling, vertical progression, and unstructured creativity.

• Omar Marmoush offers direct dribbling and fast transitional play.

• Rayan Ait-Nouri, one of Europe’s most attacking full-backs, reintroduces flair and unpredictability to a position Guardiola had recently used for control via inverted midfielders.

In 2024-25, Ait-Nouri ranked:

• 2nd among defenders for dribbles completed (63)

• 3rd for goal involvements (11)

• Top 6 for progressive carries and expected assists

Pairing him with Jeremy Doku could create one of the most explosive left flanks in the Premier League.

From Control to Chaos – By Design

Lijnders’ influence may be driving this shift from structured positional control to a more chaotic but creative rhythm of football. His appointment reflects Guardiola’s understanding that the Premier League is evolving, and even his own model must adapt.

Instead of resisting the tactical trends spearheaded by Klopp, Brighton, or Newcastle, Guardiola is absorbing them, blending them with his own philosophy.

Is This the Start of Man City 2.0?

Lijnders could be the architect of a new, post-positional Manchester City, where creativity is unshackled and rhythm overrides geometry.

If successful, this will not only extend Guardiola’s reign of dominance but redefine the next tactical era of English football—again.