Manchester United’s sporting director, John Murtough, is at risk of being the next casualty in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s planned overhaul.
As part of Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a 25% stake in United, granting control of the club’s sporting operations, Murtough, along with director of football operations David Harrison, is reportedly in danger of losing his job.
Murtough, who became United’s first-ever sporting director in 2021, oversaw a significant summer of transfers, including the signings of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite managing around £400 million ($496 million) in transfers over the past two years, some notable disappointments, like Antony and Mason Mount, have prompted concerns about his position.
The Sun reports that Dougie Freedman from Crystal Palace is under consideration by Ratcliffe as the potential next sporting director for Manchester United.
Another name mentioned is Monaco’s Paul Mitchell, who has previous experience at RB Leipzig and Southampton.
Ratcliffe, having successfully outbid rival Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is poised to finalise his minority takeover in the coming weeks.
This acquisition would make United the third club within his INEOS group, joining Nice and Lausanne-Sport.