Van hits the road to China

EXCLUSIVE

GIOVANNI van Bronckhorst has returned to management with wealthy Chinese Super League club Guanghzou R&F – after turning his back on the chance to join New York City.

Since leaving Feyenoord – where he won five trophies in four years as boss – former Barcelona, Arsenal and Rangers defender Van Bronckhorst had been working behind the scenes at Manchester City learning how the City Football Group operate their business.

It is believed the

Dutchman had been offered a chance to take over as manager of New York City next season, succeeding Pep Guardiola’s former assistant Domenec Torrent in the Big Apple.

But Van Bronckhorst was lured to China after Guanghzou R&F boss Nicky Wong offered him a huge £10million, one-year contract to replace Serbian coach Dragan Stojkovic, and now his short stay at the Etihad is over.

Many believed the Dutch coach might have been asked to temporarily fill the gap left by Mikel Arteta’s departure to Arsenal and join Pep Guardiola on the City bench.

But that never materialised and Van Bronckhorst is believed to have told close friends that he missed management too much to continue to stay behind the scenes at City.

The former Gunner announced in October his stay at City was only a shortterm project and his real focus was returning to management.

Van Bronckhorst will team up with 32-year-old former Tottenham midfield star Moussa Dembele – Guanghzou R&F’S star player – who joined the Chinese side from Spurs a year ago in an £11m deal.

And his first job will be to improve on Guanghzou

R&F’S 12th-place finish in the Chinese Super League last season when the new Chinese campaign starts next month.