Manchester United has appointed Jason Wilcox as their new sports director, following the announcement that Sir Dave Brailsford would be stepping back from his responsibilities. The Red Devils had been without a sporting director since the unexpected departure of Dan Ashworth in November.
United pursued the former Newcastle chief’s signature for six months before co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe dismissed him after only five months, citing a lack of ‘chemistry’. This resulted in a significant £4 million compensation cost for the club, which has made numerous staff redundant this year.
Wilcox, 53, was recruited from Southampton. He took on the role of technical director two months prior to Ashworth’s exit. Now, the former head of the Manchester City academy has been elevated to a new position with greater seniority. Having impressed Ratcliffe and senior figures at Old Trafford, according to reports from The Athletic.
Wilcox’s promotion aligns with Brailsford’s decision to step back. The former British cycling chief serves as the director of sport for INEOS, Ratcliffe’s petrochemical conglomerate.
Brailsford has been a steady presence since Ratcliffe acquired his initial stake in the club, which has now risen to 28.94 percent. This is one of several changes to United’s leadership during Ratcliffe’s 18-month tenure. In April, INEOS chief Jean-Claude Blanc resigned from his role as the director of the club.
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Brailsford, a regular attendee at matches both home and away, played a role in the appointments of chief executive Omar Berrada and head coach Ruben Amorim. The 61-year-old conducted an audit of United’s football operations. He was involved in the £50 million refurbishment of their training facility, Carrington.
He stepped down as team principal of INEOS Grenadiers to concentrate on the footballing project. However, he has become less visible in recent weeks. He opted to spend more time in Monaco after becoming a father last year, and will have a reduced presence moving forward.
