Erik ten Hag is enjoying some respite from Manchester United’s difficult season, as the international break continues.
The Red Devils have won four of their last five games in the Premier League, but they are still sixth in the table – five points behind Tottenham in fourth. Their European campaign is also not going to plan, having lost three of their first four Champions League fixtures.
Off the pitch, meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s takeover is continuing to gather pace. The INEOS owner is hoping to buy a 25 per cent stake in United from the Glazer family after main takeover rival Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani withdraws his bid.
With all that in mind, here are the latest headlines from Old Trafford…
United’s director of football John Murtough is expected to leave Old Trafford in the near future as part of Ratcliffe’s revolution. The British billionaire wants to establish a new football operations team once his purchase has been ratified by the club’s board.
United have spent more than £1.4billion on players since Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit a decade ago, but that investment hasn’t resulted in success. United have won just one FA Cup, one Europa League, two League Cups and two Community Shields during that time.
Murtough became United’s first ever director of football in March 2021, having worked at the club since November 2013. He’s overseen the signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Casemiro, Antony and others during the last two-and-a-half years.
With Murtough set to leave Old Trafford, United must find a new director of football. It’s claimed Ratcliffe will ask Ferguson who he thinks should get the coveted job, with Crystal Palace’s sporting director Dougie Freedman in the running.
Freedman is a former Premier League striker who represented Scotland at international level. He also enjoyed a five-year career in management – coaching Palace, Bolton and Nottingham Forest – before becoming Palace’s sporting director in 2017.
Other names in the hat include Atalanta’s Lee Congerton, Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta and former Monaco transfer guru Paul Mitchell. Ex-AC Milan pair Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara are also believed to be on the shortlist to replace Murtough.
United’s former executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has landed a new job in artificial intelligence. Woodward was the club’s top executive officer between 2013 and 2022. Richard Arnold then became CEO, but he will leave as part of Ratcliffe’s revamp.
Woodward has become a strategic advisor and non-executive board member for AI company SentientSports. He said: “I’m thrilled to be part of such a dynamic company with the potential to revolutionize the global digital sports landscape.”