Former Manchester City and Netherlands midfielder, Nigel de Jong, has tipped Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira, to replace Pep Guardiola at the club.

The Spaniard is on the cusp of his fourth Premier League title after taking an eight-point lead into 2022 ahead of Chelsea and nine ahead of Liverpool.

His arrival at the Etihad in 2016 has transformed the Citizens into a formidable force in the country. The Spaniard has five domestic cups so far.

Having hinted that he could bid farewell to the club by the end of the 2023 season when his current deal expires, De Jong hopes that Guardiola will emulate Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, he noted that former Arsenal captain Vieira would be a perfect replacement for Guardiola should the City boss choose to leave the club.

“I’d love to see Guardiola in charge for another 5-10 years. I want him to have a similar spell to what Sir Alex Ferguson had at Manchester United, to really amplify his DNA into the club,” de Jong told Ladbrokes.

“The one thing that’s always certain in football, though, as a manager, is that you’re going to move on; be it by getting sacked or by walking.

‘Patrick Vieira is always going to be a name that’s linked with the City job…the transition from player to coach is so different, but Patrick has so far enjoyed great success with Crystal Palace. He’s a number one contender for the Manchester City job for sure.”