It’s been some while since the Glazer family received the third and final bids for a takeover of Man United and there seems to have been little movement, though if Sir Jim Ratcliffe ultimately ends up taking charge, a highly-rated individual that was previously linked with Chelsea could find himself plying his trade at Old Trafford.
It must be an incredibly frustrating time for fans of United, who will likely be searching every possible media outlet for new updates, only to be disappointed in that regard.
At the time of writing, there is no news whatsoever as to whether the Glazer’s will accept an offer and if they do, will it be Sheikh Jassim’s or Sir Jim’s? Will it be another potential buyer entirely?
Fan frustration is likely to be nothing compared to that which Erik ten Hag must be feeling.
With only a few games left of the 2022/23 Premier League season, the Dutchman still can’t reasonably make any transfer window plans as, until a takeover is completed, he won’t know how much money he has to spend.
It’s an almost impossible situation to try and manage and can’t be good for squad morale.
What might be is the potential appointment of Paul Mitchell, however.
‘Pochettino will also look at a new goalkeeper, central midfielder and striker,’ senior journalist, Ben Jacobs, wrote in his exclusive CaughtOffside Substack.
‘His relationship with co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart is going to be key.
‘Monaco’s Paul Mitchell hasn’t been approached recently, even though Chelsea have considered him in the past.
‘Pochettino loved working with Mitchell at Spurs. But Chelsea are happy with their current recruitment team.
‘Keep an eye on Manchester United for Mitchell, especially if Sir Jim Ratcliffe is named the preferred bidder.’
The 41-year-old has already made a decision to leave his current role per an interview he gave to French newspaper, Nice-Matin.
“It was a very difficult decision,” he said.
“I loved my experience at this club. I have always felt a lot of support from president Dmitry Rybolovlev. We had several discussions about my mission, about the possibility of changing roles within the club, of extending my contract.
“I am very grateful to the president for trusting me. We have built a relationship based on transparency and honesty. But I have spent a lot of time away from home and my loved ones in recent years. I feel that the mission I had, which was to rebuild the sports project, has been fulfilled.”
If there’s one thing that United have desperately needed for some while, it’s a sporting director/director of football that’s on exactly the same wavelength as his employers and those he would be working with in the first team.
If Jacobs’ hunch is correct, then ten Hag will have a conduit to the board room via Mitchell.
A positive presence can only enhance relationships within the club and that’s something that United must have if they want to continue with the success that the Dutchman has brought to the club in the short space of time he’s been there for.