BRIAN KIDD is on the brink of a sensational return to Manchester City as part of the backroom staff.
Kidd has been approached by City chief Mark Hughes to act as a link man between the first team and the academy.
His move to City, where he spent three years as a player, will infuriate Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson.
Kidd was the United manager's assistant when they secured the Premier League title for the first time in 1993.
They fell out when Kidd quit to become Blackburn manager in 1998 and their relationship has only recently begun to thaw.
Hughes was a player at United under Ferguson and Kidd when United won that Premier League title for the first time.
Kidd is credited with starting a production line of young players at Old Trafford and he has been asked to do a similar job at City.
The pair have an excellent relationship and Kidd's potential appointment underlines the manager's power at City.
Although Kidd has not been primed for a coaching role, he has been asked to improve relations between the Platt Lane academy and the first team.
His potential arrival has left the academy coaches Alex Gibson, Paul Power and Barry Poynton fearing that he is coming into the club as their new boss.
Kidd has been out of work since he performed miracles alongside Paul Hart to keep Portsmouth in the top flight last season.
He claimed the travelling distance was too much when he turned down the offer to become Paul Hart's assistant.
