Slowly but surely, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is executing his plan to revamp Manchester United’s sporting sector. Since the British billionaire bought minority shares, his task has been to stop the club from spending millions on players who turn out not to be what is expected by United’s standards. And he knew that sporting sector appointments are the key for future transfer success. He identified three new posts that need to be filled, and wasted no time of requiring the right people. He managed to persuade an expert from a direct rival (Manchester City) to come as a CEO, he also managed get the new technical director and only Newcastle United, powered by money and a good, rock solid contract are resisting Ratcliffe now, how is currently two out of three in his recruitment.Ten Hag wants another striker: ‘We expected more goals’The club announced that Jason Wilcox has joined Manchester United as Technical Director with immediate effect and that he will work with all technical areas of the football department to achieve the highest standards of performance. United’s current technical director, Darren Fletcher, will continue to play a key role in the football leadership team working across the men’s first team and academy. Jason was previously Director of Football at Southampton and before that Academy Director at Manchester City. As a player he won the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers in 1995. And his job at Manchester City is what got him the job, as he worked there with the new United’s CEO Omar Berrada, who came directly from Manchester City.Schweinsteiger: How Mourinho ‘kicked’ me out of Man UnitedThe Citizens do have a policy of always allowing players, staff members and executives to leave if not satisfied, and they didn’t even make a fuss about the compensation for Berrada, but due to the sensitive work he has done at the Etihad, he will join United in June and not immediately. And that only leaves the future sporting director Dan Answorth as the missing puzzle. And he won’t be at Old Trafford anytime soon. Newcastle United paid a good compensation to Brighton when acquiring Answorth, who agreed on a strong contract with the Magpies. At the time, there was no talk of Ratcliffe buying anything at United, but when he eventually did and decided to take Answorth from Newcastle, he found the ‘doors locked’. He irritated the Magpies by not informing them first, and they had to read the news in the papers and eventually it was Answorth who broke the news to them. And they will not late him go easily. The compensation is set at 20 million pounds which Ratcliffe called ‘silly’, but it’s been two months since that happened and he is still not at Old Trafford as the Magpies won’t budge. The period of gardening leave (where Answorth is now) written into the sporting director’s current contract is set until January transfer window of 2026! So, it’s a win-win situation to Newcastle, who won’t bow to Manchester. Pay and take him is their motto, but it won’t be peanut money for sure.PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 34Saturday17:00: (3.20) Luton (3.50) Brentford (2.20)17:00: (2.80) Sheffield Utd (3.40) Burnley (2.50)21:30: (8.50) Wolverhampton (4.80) Arsenal (1.38)Sunday15:30: (2.05) Everton (3.50) Nott.Forest (3.90)17:00: (2.20) Crystal Palace (3.50) West Ham (3.45)17:00: (1.87) Aston Villa (3.70) Bournemouth (4.00)18:30: (5.70) Fulham (4.10) Liverpool (1.58)***odds are subject to change***
