Paul Mitchell 'would love' to be appointed Man Utd sporting director | OneFootball

Manchester United have been boosted in their pursuit of Paul Mitchell as he 'would love' to be appointed as the new sporting director at Old Trafford, and journalist Ben Jacobs has provided GIVEMESPORT with an update on the situation.

It appears the Red Devils are preparing to enter a new era, having been under the Glazers' rule since they won control of the club after taking their shares up to 70 per cent by buying out Irish racing tycoons JP McManus and John Magnier in a £790million deal 18 years ago, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe being confident of securing a 25 per cent stake.

The Ineos chief executive has been negotiating with the current hierarchy since they put Manchester United on the market by beginning a 'process to explore strategic alternatives' last November, and he will be looking to make his mark if his bid is accepted.

Mitchell in pole position to secure Man United sporting director job

Mitchell is in line to become Manchester United's new sporting director, according to the Telegraph, as Ratcliffe is keen to bring in a fresh face to play a leading role in the club's transfer activity if his deal to acquire a minority stake is ratified.

The report suggests the 42-year-old, who has been eager to embark on a fresh challenge since bringing the curtain down on his time with Ligue 1 side Monaco earlier this year, is the early frontrunner for the job after Dave Brailsford has spoken to a number of candidates over the last 12 months in his position as Team Ineos' director of sport.

Ratcliffe has put Mitchell at the top of his list of contenders, leading to uncertainty over what the future holds for John Murtough after the billionaire was unimpressed when he visited Old Trafford earlier this year despite the current board members being happy with the football director and new chief executive Richard Arnold's influence.

The United Stand presenter Beth Tucker recently told GIVEMESPORT that Mitchell could bring a host of exciting names to Old Trafford as he has an impressive track record at his previous clubs, having also worked behind the scenes at the likes of Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and RB Leipzig.

It is understood that Mitchell already has a good relationship with Ratcliffe and, having developed a strong reputation, he would head to Manchester United with plenty of pedigree.

But the Red Devils appear to be keeping their options open when it comes to securing a new sporting director as Michael Edwards and Julian Ward have also been discussed as potential arrivals behind the scenes, while talks were held with Dan Ashworth before he took up a similar position at Newcastle United.

Ben Jacobs update - Paul Mitchell

Jacobs understands that Mitchell has been on Ineos' radar for a number of months, with them initially looking to lure him to Nice - where Ratcliffe is the owner - before moving onto the cusp of securing shares in Manchester United.

The respected journalist is aware that the sporting director target has relocated to Manchester after sealing his Monaco departure, while he is also keen on returning to the Premier League by heading to Old Trafford.

Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT:

Ratcliffe being made to play waiting game at Old Trafford

Ratcliffe's deal to secure a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United may not be completed ahead of the January transfer window, according to MailOnline, as lawyers are continuing to work on the final details of his £1.4billion proposal.

The report suggests it could be a number of weeks before a final agreement is reached between the Glazer family and the 71-year-old, who officially became the second-wealthiest person in Britain thanks to his near-£30billion fortune earlier this year, and New York Stock Exchange and Premier League requirements would make it unlikely that he will be on board before the turn of the year.

Ratcliffe is looking to acquire chunks of both the Glazers' shares and the stock publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in equal proportion as he aims to take Manchester United into a new era, while he has already made plans to make major changes.

He is eager to increase the capacity of Old Trafford to 90,000, having ensured potentially expanding the Theatre of Dreams was a significant part of negotiations to acquire shares, while his involvement will accelerate those plans thanks to funds being set aside.