Man United 'on brink of hiring Southampton director and ex-Man City chief'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 01 April 2024

Manchester United are reportedly on the brink of hiring Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox, who has resigned from his role at St Mary's.

Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox has reportedly agreed a move to Manchester United and has resigned from his position at St Mary's.

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that the Red Devils had made an approach to the Championship counterparts for the 52-year-old, who previously spent a decade on the books at Manchester City.

However, Southampton immediately rebuffed the proposal and were apparently irritated by the timing of Man United's enquiry just before their crucial league clash with fellow promotion chasers Ipswich Town.

The Saints ended up suffering an excruciating 3-2 loss to the Tractor Boys thanks to Jeremy Sarmiento's dramatic injury-time strike, leaving them 12 points off the automatic promotion places with two games in hand.

Southampton are said to have turned down a compensation package worth a full year of Wilcox's salary from Man United, who were not prepared to go higher and insisted that the correct protocol had been followed.

🚨🔴 Jason Wilcox has resigned from Southampton — he's set to join Manchester United as new technical director!

Southampton refuse to accept fee so Wilcox will resign as he wants to join Man United project.

Former Man City Head of Academy will be key part of Man United new era. pic.twitter.com/RBbpAh0q4j
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 1, 2024

Sir Jim Ratcliffe on verge of latest high-profile appointment

However, the Red Devils need not worry about negotiating a fee with Southampton, as according to Fabrizio Romano, Wilcox has now handed in his resignation and is set to head to Old Trafford.

The 53-year-old will supposedly act as Man United's technical director under Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and he quickly decided that he wanted to join the 20-time English champions after hearing of their interest.

As Southampton rejected Man United's financial proposal, Wilcox took matters into his own hands, and the former England international is now understood to have agreed his contract with the Premier League side.

Wilcox's return to Manchester will see him reunite with Omar Berrada, whom he forged a successful relationship with during their time at Manchester City before the latter became Man United's new CEO.

The Southampton guru's arrival could precede the appointment of Dan Ashworth as football director, although Man United are struggling to strike gold with Newcastle United over compensation for the 53-year-old.

Nice owner Jim Ratcliffe before the match on April 20, 2023 © Reuters

Who is Man United's new technical director Jason Wilcox?

A 17-year career as a professional player saw Wilcox turn out for Blackburn Rovers, Leeds United, Leicester City and Blackpool, winning the 1994-95 Premier League crown with the former and also earning three England caps.

The 53-year-old briefly dabbled in media work upon his retirement from the game in 2006, but he was lured back in 2012, becoming a youth team coach at Man City and eventually managing their Under-18s.

After a few years of service, Wilcox earned a promotion to academy director, and during his time in the role, gems such as Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz were unearthed in Manchester.

The Englishman ended his decade-long association with Man City last summer to become Southampton's director of football, but he is now set to leave his St Mary's post after just one season.

Liverpool were also linked with Wilcox at one stage, but the Reds are not believed to have had a serious interest in bringing him to Merseyside.