For the moment, we still have no confirmation. But this week's reports that Begiristain will make this the last of his 12-year association with Manchester City do appear rock solid. But there is some hope for City fans that the sporting director's decision won't lead to Pep Guardiola's departure, nor - just as crucially - Ferran Soriano's.
However, the breaking up of the triumvirate is now in the works. The trio who transformed English football. Who rocked the European game. They will be no more. Begiristain will be leaving City at season's end in a decision which appears to have been known inside the club for some time.
That claim we can deduce from the news out of Cataluyna, where Girona's sporting director Quique Carcel turned down an approach from City last month. Carcel has been a success at Girona, transforming the team and the coaching bench - which has included the highly-rated Michel - from Segunda Division also-rans to a Champions League participant this season.
Carcel's work effectively becoming the standard bearer of what can be achieved under the City Football Group's (CFG) umbrella. Indeed, the encouraging start to life at City for Savinho can be nailed squarely at the work of Carcel and Michel. The Brazil international was a breakout player in Girona colours last season - this after underwhelming spells with fellow CFG member Troyes and PSV Eindhoven. Indeed, even this week's news of City raking in €30m from the sale of Yan Couto to Borussia Dortmund could only have happened after the Brazil fullback's successful time with the Catalans.
But the idea of a promotion within the CFG network couldn't tempt Carcel. At least not at this stage in his career. Carcel remains excited about what he's building - in partnership with club president Pere Guardiola, Pep's brother - at Girona. With a contract to 2027, Carcel - for now - wants to see that through and is determined that last season's top four finish was no one-off.
So a blow to City? Perhaps. But what it also suggests is that they're seeking like-for-like to replace Begiristain. The approach to Carcel indicating there's no plans to rip things up and start again. Soriano, who is tasked with finding Begiristain's successor, showing with this first attempt that he wants to avoid as much upheaval as possible. Of course, Carcel never had the big club experience of Begiristain after the latter's years with Barcelona. But he knows the CFG network. He knows and has worked with Guardiola and Soriano. And unlike Basque Begiristain, he was born and bred in Barcelona similar to City's manager and their football director.
As such, it does appear City management are moving to replace Begiristain with a similar type. And with that, it also suggests an expectation that Soriano and Guardiola will be continuing.
Of course, with Guardiola's contract running down. And with this week's news. You can put two and two together and get near to four. But the Carcel attempt does indicate that it isn't at all cut-and-dried. If you're planning with the current manager. If you believe Guardiola will eventually put pen to paper. Then it would make sense to find someone as close as possible to Begiristain to keep things running smoothly.
Which is perhaps why Hugo Viana is now being mentioned. For the moment, there's been no formal contact between clubs. But tentative enquiries have been made with the Sporting CP sports director.
Now six years into the job, there's a belief that Viana's approach - much like Carcel - will fit seamlessly into the demands of Soriano and Guardiola. Viana's achievement of a €200m net positive in transfers over his reign has been trumpeted in the English press. But it's really about Viana's work with the Sporting academy and his choice of coach - in Ruben Amorim - which has him high on Soriano's shortlist. Nothing has crystallised as yet. But the former Newcastle United midfielder is a candidate.
Rui Fonte, the former Arsenal striker, now with Pacos de Ferreira, said on local radio last night: "With the resources he will have at his disposal you can do a great job. If you have already done a good job here at Sporting… And with merit, due to the relationship he managed to create with the president and Rúben (Amorim).
"And now, with so many resources at his disposal he will do even more. Something rare has been built here and if he manages to do this, this harmony with the president and coach, it will already be halfway there (to success)."
Again, like Carcel, Viana does fit. Begiristain's departure is the breaking up of City's triumvirate. But it doesn't necessarily mean a complete cleanout.