Following reports that English-born billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks set to purchase a 25 per cent stake in his ‘boyhood club’, Manchester United, supporters of the Old Trafford outfit are desperate to learn of his long-term intentions.
With the suggestion that the INEOS CEO was far from impressed with what he witnessed while visiting the club earlier this year, it is suspected that several high-ranking bodies could be deemed surplus for requirements.
While news of Ratcliffe’s potential arrival has received a mixed response, there is a possibility for progression should he embark on fulfilling his vision to atone for two decades of mismanagement and neglect at the hands of the Glazer family.
The Failsworth man looks set to take the reigns over footballing matters at the club and aims to return United to their glory days of years gone by, with major players like John Murtough and Richard Arnold among those facing an uncertain future.
Paul Mitchell has been touted as an essential figure in this extensive rebuild of the club, as per i. For many, the possibility of his arrival presents an impeccable opportunity to return sporting matters to sporting people. But others are unaware of what he could bring to the position and who this highly coveted man is.
A former player who applied his trade in the lower leagues of English football, Mitchell is regarded as one of the most respected names in the game. Following retirement from his playing career due to injury at 27, MK Dons appointed the Manchester man as the club’s first Head of Recruitment. He played a pivotal role in luring former England international Alan Smith to the lower-league club and initially identified the talents of Dele Alli.
Subscribe to Shaun’s newsletter here.
He completed an impressive two years in the newly-created role, inevitably attracting the attention of Championship side Southampton. Following his move to the club in 2012, the 42-year-old cultivated a unique relationship with Mauricio Pochettino, with the pair overseeing the acquisition of several household names, such as Sadio Mané, Dušan Tadić and Dejan Lovren.
Pochettino earned regular plaudits for his side’s improvements, moving to Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur, with Mitchell following him in January 2014. The Stalybridge man played a starring role in Spurs signing Kieran Trippier, Toby Alderweireld and the brilliant Son Heung-min. His progress at the club was remarkable but was cut short due to a falling out with chairman Daniel Levy.
February 2018 saw Mitchell take his first steps onto the continent, assuming control as head of recruitment and development at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig. He intricately delivered a specific plan to guide the German side to a Champions League semi-final in 2020 and DFB Pokal success in 2022.
Following a decade of elite recruitment and recognition throughout the continent, Ligue 1 side Monaco lured him to the principality with the role of sporting director. The position presented a reward for the culmination of a life’s work in football and recognition of his value within the game. Reporting to vice-president Oleg Petrov, Mitchell assumed control of all sectors of the club’s sporting policy, including the academy, first team, and the club’s link with satellite club Cercle Brugge.
“Paul will bring his skills in the detection, recruitment and development of our players from the academy to the first team,” Petrov told the club’s official website after his appointment.
“Paul will be in charge of the sporting life of Monaco, and I am convinced that his arrival will significantly strengthen our project.”
Mitchell set about ensuring elite standards throughout every department in the club, prioritising various elements from psychology, nutrition and sports science. Furthermore, he targeted a unique training platform around data analytics for sleep, training metrics and specific diets for each squad member.
Throughout his time in France, he achieved undeniable success, cultivating a market-leading sporting strategy that ensured perennial profit, player acquisition and development and state-of-the-art facilities to rival the best in European football. Additionally, he lived near Ratcliffe and was known to move in similar circles.
Mitchell’s success has regularly provided links of a return to Manchester, and sources close to Stretty News understand that he has long craved a sporting position at Old Trafford. Interestingly, the scouting supremo previously outlined a brief blueprint for the side while stationed in France.
“Context is important to measure what Manchester United’s current situation is, but I think they do need to get to the point of really putting down what Manchester United needs to be in the modern game,” he explained during an interview with Sky Sports in 2022.
“We are a long time from the Sir Alex Ferguson era. Erik ten Hag is a top coach from Ajax, but they need a top blueprint not only for now but for the next five years and work towards that, and sometimes on that journey there are hard moments when you don’t get the right results, even though you’re doing the right things.
“You have to know that, over that period, the consistency of the decision-making will yield a good end result. I think we’ve seen that both Manchester City and Liverpool, that when you adopt that long-term strategy, you can get real consistency and sustainable success.
“I think that’s the biggest thing for Manchester United; putting down their identity of what they want to be today, but most crucially what they want to be in five years’ time, and where they want to be, and what they want to look like; from everything from young players to the style of play, to the whole culture peace in Manchester United.”
Given the continuous off-the-field issues surrounding the club, many believe Mitchell could refuse any approach without clarity over a long-term plan. However, should he trust this unknown prospect, he could propel himself into the history books of this once-great football club and its passionate supporters.
Having recently left his position in France, he has since returned home to England and is one of the most sought-after free agents in the game. While he alone would not rectify the issues at the club, his acquisition would act as a statement signing and could provide a catalyst for future plans.
Manchester United are long overdue for a return to elite footballing standards. As we await clarification about the conclusion of Ratcliffe’s bid, supporters must understand that while nothing in football is guaranteed, Paul Mitchell is the definition of an elite sporting individual.
Get the latest Manchester United news, opinion, interviews and exclusive features with the Stretty Newsletter – Ad Free! Kick off your afternoon with the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.
