Table of Contents
- Vitor Reis has confirmed Man City sporting director Hugo Viana maintains a hands-on approach to his development at Girona.
- The 20-year-old’s form in La Liga earned him his first senior Brazil call-up in March 2026.
- Reis has made it clear he intends to use the surreal intensity learned from Pep Guardiola to secure a first-team role at the Etihad for the 2026/27 season.
Manchester City and sporting director Hugo Viana have remained in close contact with impressive loanee Vitor Reis during his time at Girona, the player has revealed.
The Brazilian centre-back, who joined City from Palmeiras in January 2025, has spent the 2025/26 season flourishing in Spanish football, starting 30 out of 31 matches for Girona and establishing himself as one of Europe’s most notably composed ball-playing defenders.
The timing of Reis’ update is significant as the Etihad Stadium hierarchy begins planning for another summer of transition, with John Stones set to leave the club and Bernardo Silva already confirmed to be departing.
For now, City’s current first-team is riding high after reaching a record fourth consecutive FA Cup Final with a victory at Wembley, while also continuing to chase down another Premir league crown with Arsenal at the top of the division.
“Care from them”: Reis on his Hugo Viana connection
Now, speaking exclusively with Globo Esporte, Vitor Reis has revealed the close contact he continues to have with those at Manchester City, and namely the club’s sporting director Hugo Viana.
“I keep in touch with the City director [Hugo Viana]. I talk a lot with the City Group staff, they are often here in Girona as well,” Reis revealed, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness.
“For me it is very important to have that contact, that care from them, and I am very happy they are close, always trying to see and understand everything that is happening here.”
Reflecting on his first arrival and experiences at Manchester City last year, Reis said, “When you arrive there and see Pep Guardiola, you feel that fear, that different sensation. But on the first day, when I was presented at the training centre, I already had contact with him.
“We were there with my family, my agent… and when he appeared, everyone was very happy, even more than me. After that, I went up to his office, we talked quickly, and that already made me feel more comfortable, more welcomed.”
The importance of Pep Guardiola’s first connections
“That first contact was very important,” he continued. “Then, day to day, in training, he also spoke to me, and I learned a lot from him, especially in how to understand the game, how to make things easier on the pitch. He is a very intelligent guy.
“If you do what he asks, your game flows better. And beyond that, he has a hunger to win that is surreal. Even after winning everything, he is still on the touchline with the same intensity, wanting to win, guiding everyone. That is a huge difference.
“It was a dream to work with him, and, God willing, I hope I can return and experience that again.”
What next for Vitor Reis and Manchester City?
Vitor Reis’ loan is set to conclude in June as the FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America, and his consistent performances have not only made him a cornerstone for Girona but have also caught the attention of Brazil’s senior management.
After earning his first call-up in March, Reis is now being widely tipped to be part of Ancelotti’s World Cup squad, providing Hugo Viana with a ready-made elite defender to integrate into the Manchester City backline for the 2026/27 campaign.
Speculation continues to mount that City will decline to enter the market for a new centre-back this summer, instead opting to recall Reis to compete with the likes of Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Marc Guéhi.
With Guardiola’s own future a constant talking point as he enters the final year of his current contract, the hunger to win that Reis noted will be essential as Manchester City aim to transition from a legendary era of success to a younger core.
