Manchester City believe Patrick Vieira could return to the club as manager in the future.
Vieira, who was City's elite squad development boss, left Manchester last month to take over at sister club New York City FC.
That was seen as the next stage in the highly-regarded Frenchman's development and a pathway to the top job at the Etihad Stadium remains.
City's football administration officer Brian Marwood told Sky Sports News: "We are really excited, he is really excited by it, and I think it is exactly the next step he needs.
"Hopefully, at some point, he'll come back and manage Manchester City. That's the ambition for him and that's the ambition for us, but he has to go through this learning curve."
Source: PA
