Manchester United Pursuing Southampton’s Director of Football, Jason Wilcox

Manchester United have made a bold move by approaching Southampton about hiring their director of football, Jason Wilcox, to join their recruitment team as the technical director. The offer made by United, equivalent to a year of Wilcox’s salary, has sparked a dispute between the two clubs.

Wilcox, a former winger who won the Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers in 1995, has had a successful career both on and off the field. After retiring in 2006, he worked his way up to the role of academy director at Manchester City before joining Southampton last summer.

Southampton, who value Wilcox at a higher compensation due to his importance at a crucial stage of the season as they chase promotion from the Championship, are not pleased with United’s approach. However, United believe they have followed the correct processes and met the contractual requirements for Wilcox’s release.

United’s new chief executive, Omar Berrada, who knows Wilcox from their time at Manchester City, sees him as a key figure in the club’s recruitment setup. Talks are also ongoing with Newcastle, where Wilcox is currently on gardening leave, which may delay his official start at Old Trafford.

With Wilcox potentially overseeing player pathways across the INEOS group, including clubs in France and Switzerland, United are looking to strengthen their recruitment team. The addition of Wilcox, along with the potential hiring of sporting director-elect Dan Ashworth, could bring a new era of success to the club.

As negotiations continue between the clubs, the football world waits to see if Wilcox will make the move to Manchester United and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the club.