Ralf Rangnick’s brief stint as Manchester United’s interim boss hasn’t gone to plan – the German has overseen one of the toughest half-seasons since the Premier League began in 1992.
With four games of the season remaining, the campaign is effectively over for Rangnick’s side and the only thing left to play for is, perhaps, a place in next season’s Europa League.
It’s been a disastrous season for United and it’s particularly farcical considering the expectation was to challenge Manchester City for the league title.
Erik ten Hag was announced as the club’s new permanent manager last week and two departures upstairs were also confirmed, with chief scouts Jim Lawlor and Marcel Bout having left the club.
Their departures could shake things up in the United hierarchy, and Monaco chief Paul Mitchell, who has gained a stellar reputation for his work at Tottenham and Southampton mainly, has been linked with a move to United.
Read more: Paris Saint-Germain remain interested in signing Man Utd star
Rangnick is set to take up a consultancy role at United at the end of this season and according to The Athletic, the 63-year-old has recommended Mitchell to the hierarchy for the role of Sporting Director.
That position is currently not filled at United, with John Murtough acting as Footballing Director, and Darren Fletcher being the Technical Director.
SN’s verdict…
Mitchell is regarded as one of the best in his line of work and his track record speaks for itself. He’s most known for huge return-on-investment signings in the Premier League, with Sadio Mane’s arrival at Southampton being a standout purchase. Mane was also signed by the Red Bull consortium during Rangnick’s time at RB Salzburg.
Other successful deals include recruiting Heung-Min Son to Tottenham, as well as bringing Christopher Nkunku from Paris Saint-Germain to RB Leipzig, another one of Rangnick’s former clubs.
Earlier this year, Mitchell was spotted in Manchester with Rangnick at a Manchester United youth game, fuelling speculation that a move could be on the cards.
Supporters have been desperate for the club to appoint a Sporting Director in recent years and although there have been changes to how United run the football side of the club, the position remains vacant.