Paolo Maldini is under consideration at Manchester United. (Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images)
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is considering a move for AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini as the British billionaire weighs up who to appoint as Manchester United’s sporting director.
Ratcliffe’s 25% investment in the club is set to be ratified in the next ten days.
Richard Arnold, the club’s current CEO, will step down before the end of the year and Ratcliffe is expected to appoint a replacement.
But Ratcliffe won’t stop there. With the 71-year-old in control of football operations, he wants to appoint a Sporting Director to oversee the club’s recruitment.
United have spent £400m under Erik ten Hag, and Ratcliffe is unhappy with the quality of the squad.
Maldini left Milan in 2022. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/AC Milan via Getty Images)
Maldini helped Milan to become Serie A champions for the first time in a decade in 2021, and he was instrumental in the Italians’ move away from older players and to a fresh, young squad.
Fikayo Tomori, the former Chelsea defender, was a key signing of Maldini’s but the Italian left the club last summer after a falling out with the owner.
Maldini would be open to a move to Old Trafford but the Telegraph say he’s one of a number of names under consideration.
Dougie Freedman, the Crystal Palace sporting director, is said to be a leading contender and has the backing of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Atalanta’s Lee Congerton and Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta are also said to be on the shortlist.
While the January transfer window may come too soon for the new sporting director, Ratcliffe will want them in place and settled in before next summer.
Jean-Claude Blanc, the former CEO of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, is the frontrunner to replace Arnold as United’s CEO.
The Frenchman currently serves as a Sports director at INEOS, Ratcliffe’s biochemicals company.
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