Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde is under consideration at Manchester City.

The Sunday Times says Valverde is seen as a viable option by City chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain.

The 49-year-old coach guided Espanyol to the 2007 UEFA Cup final, and won the Greek title three times with Olympiakos, and City's pair of former Barcelona directors believe he would be the right fit for City.

Begiristain and Soriano have a history of making shock appointments.

Not only did they promote Guardiola from Barcelona B, they appointed his predecessor Frank Rijkaard after the Dutchman had been sacked by Sparta Rotterdam.