How Manchester United's new recruitment structure works ahead of busy summer window

Manchester United enter the summer transfer window with a reshaped recruitment hierarchy, one that has moved decisively away from the manager-led model that defined the club’s approach under José Mourinho and Erik ten Hag.

Since Ineos assumed control of football operations in July 2024, the club has built a more collegiate structure. Director of football Jason Wilcox sits at the centre of it, leading negotiations with agents, helping to sell the Old Trafford project to prospective signings, and serving as the public face of confirmed deals. He is widely regarded as the most influential figure in United’s transfer activity.

Supporting Wilcox is director of recruitment Christopher Vivell, whose standing at the club has grown considerably over the past 18 months. The former RB Leipzig and Chelsea recruitment specialist has steered the department towards a more data-driven methodology and oversees both in-person and analytics-based scouting. Vivell was instrumental in pushing for the signing of Benjamin Sesko last summer and retains a strong voice in identifying squad targets.

Completing the core trio is director of negotiations Matt Hargreaves, who handles the outgoing side of the business — leading talks with other clubs on player sales and departures to extract the best possible terms for United.

Chief executive Omar Berrada remains involved as a hands-on, football-focused executive, while co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe monitors the overall budget. Head coach Michael Carrick contributes opinions on recruitment and has taken part in planning meetings for the summer window, but his influence over transfer decisions is notably smaller than that enjoyed by his predecessors in the dugout.