Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to revamp his Old Trafford squad this summer, but his plans risk being thwarted by Liverpool, who are keen to make the INEOS international their first target.
Ratcliffe aims to overhaul the backroom business at Old Trafford, starting at the top of the sporting structure. Sir Dave Brailsford is in charge but Manchester United are keen to appoint a new director of football under his leadership.
Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth is thought to be a man of interest but Liverpool are moving to offload the Red Devils from the man Ratcliffe hopes will become a cornerstone of their organisation.
Liverpool have also been linked with Julian Ward and Paul Mitchell for the job, but of the three, well-connected journalist Ben Jacobs has described Ashworth as the favourite.In an interview with GiveMe Sport, he said: “I don’t see Ward going back to Liverpool because he left recently.
I am a candidate for Manchester United. I don’t think Ashworth is out of the realm of possibility as he is loved at Liverpool. “I don’t think Liverpool can replace Mitchell because they’ve looked at him before and decided not to move, so I’d be surprised if they come looking for him.
INEOS is yet to complete its acquisition of a 25% stake in Manchester United, but it is expected to happen within weeks, if not days, and once the deal is complete, big changes are expected to take place at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe is set to take charge of the club’s sporting structure and has ambitious plans to transform it.
However, his choice of sporting director will have a huge impact on the direction of the team and it is still unclear who will fill the position.
