Man United look set to appoint Jason Wilcox as their new technical director as Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to build a strong team behind the scenes at Old Trafford.
According to The Independent, United have made an official approach to Southampton for their director of football and have agreed to pay the Saints a sum that is the equivalent of a full year of the 53-year-old’s salary.
The Championship outfit have refused to accept the fee offered by the Premier League giants, reports Fabrizio Romano, and as a result, Wilcox has resigned from his role at St Mary’s Stadium.
Wilcox is keen to make the move to Manchester where Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans to have him work alongside Dan Ashworth, who is Man United’s top target for the role of sporting director and who has been put on gardening leave by Newcastle amid the interest.
This is another smart move from the new Man United part-owner as things are coming together nicely behind the scenes at the Manchester club.
Who else has Sir Jim Ratcliffe appointed at Man United?
Since Ratcliffe took over the sporting side at Man United at the start of the year, the Ineos CEO has brought Jean-Claude Blanc and Sir Dave Brailsford onto the Premier League club’s board.
Omar Berrada has been lured away from Man City and is set to become United’s new CEO. He has worked with Wilcox before at the Etihad, where the incoming technical director rose to become academy director and oversaw a youth policy that proved very profitable for City.
As mentioned before, Ratcliffe wants to partner the 53-year-old with Dan Ashworth, but the Manchester club are still trying to agree a fee with Newcastle before appointing him as sporting director.
Once all these roles are official, a decision will have to be made over the future of Erik ten Hag as his position as manager is being questioned at present.
From there, the playing squad will need to be improved and only then, can Manchester United start to make big strides towards the top of the Premier League.