Nick Cushing has left his role as manager of Manchester City Women to take up an assistant coach role with MLS side New York City FC, part of the City Football Group.

His final game in charge will be City’s game against title rivals Arsenal on 2 February before he heads off to work alongside New York City’s newly-appointed head coach Ronny Deila.

The assistant manager, Alan Mahon, will take charge of the women’s team in the interim, with former England men’s Under-21 coach Brian Eastick supporting him.

“Making the decision to leave MCWFC has been incredibly difficult given the fantastic players and staff that we have here and the incredible success that we have achieved together – it isn’t one that I have taken lightly,” Cushing told the Manchester City website.

“We’ve had an amazing six-and-a-half seasons and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with everybody – I will be extremely emotional to leave, but I’m very excited for my next role within the City Football Group. Linking up with New York City and Ronny is a brilliant opportunity and I’m really looking forward to working in MLS.”

The 35-year-old Cushing joined Manchester City in 2008 and took charge of the revamped women’s team in 2013 as the club prepared for their first season in the expanded Women’s Super League – City were given a league license at the expense of Doncaster Rovers Belles who were dropped down to the second division.

In his first season City beat Arsenal to lift the Continental League Cup in 2014. City won the trophy again in 2016 alongside their first WSL title and completed a domestic cup double last season.

Man City’s Head of Women’s Football, Gavin Makel said: “On behalf of everybody at the club, I would like to pass on my gratitude and thanks to Nick for his dedication to Manchester City Women over the past six years and to Manchester City as a whole beyond that time. MCWFC was a journey that we began together and what he has achieved as a manager during his time in charge is unrivalled in the women’s game.”