Man Utd and INEOS holding 'internal discussions' over new sporting director | OneFootball

Manchester United are still discussing internal plans around their next sporting director, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co. finalising which direction they want to take the club in, journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed to GIVEMESPORT.

Ratcliffe is set to confirm a stake in United soon, with the British billionaire splashing close to £1.25 billion to acquire a 25% share. There had been talk of a full takeover, but such plans have since been quashed with the Glazers set to remain as the majority owners at Old Trafford.

Despite this, Ratcliffe will still be given plenty of freedom to shape the sporting decisions at United, with wide-sweeping changes expected to follow.

Ratcliffe hasn't even got his feet fully under the table at Old Trafford and the Manchester-born entrepreneur is already targeting wholesale changes. One area which could be given an immediate overhaul is player recruitment, with reports suggesting .

Elsewhere, it's also suggested United could be about to appoint a new chief executive officer, with Jean-Claude Blanc rumoured to be in the mix. The BBC are reporting the Frenchman and well-known figure within the INEOS group is the favourite to take over from the departing Richard Arnold.

While there is also talk of Ratcliffe looking to bring in a new sporting director in the coming weeks too.

Sporting director on Ratcliffe wishlist at United

There have been no shortage of candidates for the sporting director role at United, with Paul Mitchell - the ex-Tottenham Hotspur and RB Leipzig man mooted as a front-runner last month. Romano told GIVEMESPORT that United were in contact with Mitchell, but the Italian journalist stressed he wasn't the only option.

There have also been claims that United are planning a surprise coup to bring Dan Ashworth to the club, despite the incumbent football director at Newcastle United only starting his role there last year. Whereas AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini is another figure who has cropped up in conversation, with Ben Jacobs hinting United could decide to go down that route, should they be able to convince him the structure at Old Trafford is up to scratch.

Romano also went on to suggest more than one appointment could be made in that role, if Ratcliffe and Co. feel like it is the right path to go down - a claim he has since backed up.

Fabrizio Romano update - Manchester United sporting director

When quizzed about the latest in regard to United's pursuit of a new sporting director, Romano insisted the Greater Manchester outfit were determined to take their time with the appointment, in order to make sure they get things right. Suggesting once again that multiple bodies could be brought in to cover different bases, it's believed a big turnover is expected at Old Trafford.

On the state of play behind the scenes at United, Romano revealed to GIVEMESPORT:

Work still for United to do in January

All of this talk around United hiring a new sporting director came about after it was revealed John Murtough - the current occupant of that role - was set to step down at the end of the year.

Despite his imminent departure, Murtough has still been hard at work ahead of the January transfer window, with it reported that he has been in Saudi Arabia discussing potential moves for current United stars. The Daily Mail have claimed that Casemiro, Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial are all being discussed as players who could leave the club when the window opens next month.

It comes at a testing time for manager Erik ten Hag, who himself has been tipped to be replaced as part of the new Ratcliffe revolution at United. Sky Sports has claimed ex-Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion chief Graham Potter is on Ratcliffe's list of preferred managerial candidates to take over from ten Hag, should continued poor results mean the Dutchman's job is no longer tenable.