According to Fabrizio Romano, Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to secure a 52-year-old target for Manchester United, with approval from Gary Neville.

Fabrizio Romano reports that Manchester United is set to appoint a new director of football in the coming weeks, with a current Premier League official being the prime candidate.

Manchester United had a subdued January transfer window, consistent with the earlier remarks made by their current director of football, John Murtough, in December.

Regarding the upcoming January transfer window, we anticipate a relatively quiet period.

Potential transactions may involve players on the fringes of the squad, especially those seeking more playing time.

However, our stance remains consistent—we view the summer transfer windows as more favorable for our recruitment strategy.

Indeed, Manchester United, under the management of Erik ten Hag, did not secure any new signings during the January transfer window.

The primary emphasis was on outbound moves, with several players, such as Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek, and Hannibal Majbri, departing on loan.

Looking forward, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are planning to conduct the majority of their business in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The restructuring at Old Trafford is underway, and it appears that Manchester United’s plan for a new director of football involves bringing in Newcastle United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the intention is to secure Ashworth’s appointment in the coming weeks, as part of the ongoing changes following the appointment of Omar Berrada to replace Richard Arnold.

Ashworth had previously been linked with the role back in December and remains a key target for the position.

Gary Neville has expressed admiration for Dan Ashworth, citing the Newcastle sporting director’s competence, qualifications, and successful contributions to various football organizations.

Neville emphasized Ashworth’s ability to work coherently with coaching, recruitment, and other departments, highlighting the contrast with Manchester United’s lack of a sporting director.

He commended Ashworth’s positive impact at Brighton and his role in building a strong foundation for Newcastle’s new owners.

“Yesterday, the once vibrant Theatre of Dreams transformed into a place of emptiness. Every United fan was disinterested, and the players’ performances were lackluster.

The manager visibly struggled, and this familiar scenario has played out before. We’re well-acquainted with how it concludes, and we’ve reached a point of frustration.”