While players' deals are always attracting the spotlight, on the backstage, the summer of 2025 is witnessing a silent but fierce race. It was a hunt for the assistant coach.
How strong Man City will be if there are two excellent peps? One is Pep Guardiola, the other is Pep Lijnders, the assistant who has just landed in Etihad in early June. The Dutch strategist used to be Jurgen Klopp's right arm in Liverpool. Lijnders belongs to the model coach, participating deeply in training sessions with many advanced tactical ideas. With Lijnders, Guardiola is aiming for a play revolution for Man City.
Not inferior, Liverpool appointed Giovanni van Bronckhorst to the tactical assistant position for Arne Slot. The former Dutch defender led Feyenoord, Rangers and Besiktas, but accepted to be a deputy general for Slot for a noble mission. Van Bronckhorst will upgrade Liverpool's training sessions, towards the attack philosophy and tactical flexibility. The strong personality of Van Bronckhorst will also blow fire into the Premier League champion.
The hunting of good assistants is as important as buying a “number 9”. The teams see gray matter in coaching staff as one of the priority tasks in the transfer season. Arsenal after leaving Carlos Cuesta to Parma invited Gabriel Heinze, the former teammate of Mikel Arteta in PSG. The former MU defender is directly responsible for tactical aspects, especially the defense system, pressing and fast switch from the bottom up.
In Tottenham, Thomas Frank brought all his trusted crews in Brentford. But that is still not enough for the Danish military leader. Frank has just appointed Andreas Georgson for the position of assistant coach. Need to know, Georgson is MU's death expert under Erik Ten Hag. But after Ruben Amorim returned to MU, he was turned on by Carlos Fernandes, the right arm of the Portuguese coach.
The assistant appointments this summer show the profound specialization in the training: from the match tactics, data analysis, player development, to dead balls and sports psychology. In fact, some assistants also play a role like “the head coach in the dark”. The case of Pep Lijnders is a typical proof. The 42 -year -old coach has the right to make important decisions under Juergen Klopp. And now in Man City, Lijnders will also on behalf of Guardiola in many key stages of tactics and play.
Gone are the time when all decisions depend on the coach. The model of “multi -central training committee” is increasingly popular in top clubs. This helps the team to ensure continuity when changing the lead, reducing risks dependent, and developing the training system in an intensive, scientific and consistent direction.
In the context of financially tightened by financial justice law (FFP), the investment in the training system – which is considered the “brain” of the team – becomes wise and necessary. Man City spent £ 150 million to buy players in the summer of 2025 but most likely the most important rookie was the free contract of Pep Lijnders.
The trend of “hunting assistant” is silently shaping how to organize, train and operate tactics in modern football. In a era that every corner kick, each Pressing phase needs hours of analysis, the right arm of the coach can make a difference between victory and failure. And Premier League, as usual, is at the forefront of that trend.
