Manchester United are conducting interviews for a new deputy football director, David Ornstein, of The Athletic, reports.
John Murtough occupies the position of football director, however, with a heavy workload for one person, it has been decided that he could do with some support.
New Deputy Football Director on the Agenda for Manchester United
Manchester United Still Working to Get Things Right off the Pitch as Well as on It
When appointing John Murtough as football director and Darren Fletcher as technical director last March, Manchester United had hoped things were changing for the better.
The league position under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, though no longer pushing Manchester City, was a healthy one and they were working towards a summer that eventually saw Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo join the club.
On the pitch, things have regressed once again and off the pitch, there are still question marks. Richard Arnold has recently become the club’s new chief executive officer, replacing Ed Woodward in a new title, Woodward was executive vice-chairman.
However, it remains to be seen how successful United’s football director appointment will prove to be, it’s still very early days.
This move is clearly one just to tweak roles and ensure Murtough isn’t over-tasked. Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool have been operating with a similar hire in David Weir and Julian Ward aiding Dan Ashworth and Michael Edwards, respectively.
Feels Like a Long Way to Go For United
With this season’s disappointing start followed by the struggle under Ralf Rangnick to see games out, United’s form is concerning. They are in a fight for fourth place that nobody seems to be too keen on winning. As ever, Champions League qualification remains vitally important to the Red Devils.
United’s desire to promptly appoint a deputy football director will be encouraged by the big summer that awaits them. Rangnick has already agreed to stay on a consultancy basis, so there will be more of a footballing vision behind United’s dealings. However, the club have to make their biggest decision yet. The next manager has to be the right one. Obviously, as is well-reported, the favourites are Ajax leader Erik ten Hag and former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Both named are among the best candidates, though neither are currently available – but at this point that shouldn’t put the Red Devils off.
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
