After acquiring his minority stake in the Old Trafford team, Sir Jim Ratcliffe will probably name a new sports director for Manchester United. Journalist Fabrizio Romano gives GIVEMESPORT access to the club’s shortlist, which includes Paul Mitchell, exclusively.
The Red Devils, who are now coached by Erik ten Hag, will probably soon make an announcement about Ratcliffe’s arrival. The chairman of INEOS will then start working to turn around the club’s recent results.
Man Utd’s 2023–24 Premier League and Champions League campaigns have not gone well at first. The squad is hoping that leadership changes will infuse fresh vitality into the team for the remaining games of the season. The Manchester giants need to get closer to the top four spots in order to guarantee a Champions League berth for the 2024–2025 campaign.
Man Utd is looking to replace its sports director.
Ratcliffe will likely want to name a new sports director to help with Manchester United’s football operations, according to multiple sources. Ratcliffe’s arrival isn’t anticipated this week, according to NBC Sports, even if the team hopes to make the announcement before Thanksgiving on November 23.
Paul Mitchell is “practically living next door” to Old Trafford and is vying for the position of sporting director, according to writer Ben Jacobs, who spoke with GIVEMESPORT on November 17. According to the same article, the 42-year-old is eager to work in the Premier League, and given his location, Manchester United seems like the ideal place for him to be employed.
Mitchell is not the only person on Ratcliffe’s purported shortlist, though. The Independent claims that INEOS holds Dougie Freedman, Mitchell, and Michael Edwards of Crystal Palace in high regard. Sir Dave Brailsford, Jean-Claude Blanc, and Ratcliffe will be the recipients of any appointments.
The Englishman reportedly had five candidates on his shortlist for a sports director position, including Newcastle United executive Dan Ashworth, according to The Mirror on October 16. The former FA representative had a similar position at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he helped the team achieve recent on-field success and laid the groundwork for the team to finally qualify for European football for the first time in its history.
Jim Ratcliffe, Sr.
Any appointment, meanwhile, will be contingent upon when Ratcliffe makes his announcement and Man Utd’s ability to convince the players on the shortlist to take up the position at Old Trafford.
Paul Mitchell, according to Fabrizio Romano
Romano thinks Manchester United will hire a new sports director who will oversee transfers and alter the organisational structure of the team. According to the Italian journalist, Mitchell is one of the contenders, but he’s not the only one. According to Romano, GIVEMESPORT
“I anticipate the appointment of a new sporting director. I believe the plan is to handle the transactions and reorganise Manchester United’s organisational structure. Therefore, it will be crucial for Manchester United to have new managers, new managers with fresh ideas, and that will be the plan. Thus, there are several contenders, Mitchell among them. He’s undoubtedly on the list, based on what I’ve heard, but he’s not the only one. Thus, the discussion is still going on. But I anticipate some adjustments there.
News of Man Utd’s transfer
The attention will shift to Manchester United’s possible business during the 2024 winter transfer window with the arrival of a new sports director. The Red Devils have reportedly inquired about potentially signing Timo Werner, a forward for RB Leipzig, in January, according to Sky Sports Germany. The 27-year-old plans to stay with the Bundesliga team through the conclusion of the 2023–2024 campaign, but with United showing interest, this transfer may be worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Marc Guehi, a center-back for Crystal Palace, is Manchester United’s top transfer target for 2024, according to Football Insider. With each game the 23-year-old’s reputation at Selhurst Park develops, United is keeping a tight eye on the England international and running background checks.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s alleged interest in Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann is “as ambitious as it gets,” according to transfer source Dean Jones, who spoke with GIVEMESPORT on November 25. The Red Devils are reportedly moving quickly to lure the France international to Manchester, according to Spanish media. They claim the club will quadruple his compensation and activate his contract’s release clause.
Griezmann has had a tremendous career and might provide much-needed experience to an unimpressive Manchester United team. Griezmann won the 2018 World Cup with Les Blues. Despite the connections, the 32-year-old has stated to Marca (via Romano) that he has no plans to quit Atletico:
To be considered a legend in this group, I must prove myself. That is my goal. I aim to win some titles for Atlético and make the supporters happy by 2024. It would only be a fantasy.
