Manchester United’s head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, reportedly wanted the club to sign Ederson and Tyler Adams during the summer window, according to The Peoples Person, a claim that has reignited debate over how much blame he should shoulder for United’s underwhelming transfer business.
The claim is attributed to a source identified only as Sully, cited directly within the piece. According to that account, Vivell and his recruitment team were genuinely keen on both players, with the Ederson interest reportedly shared by Jason Wilcox and director of data Michael Sansoni, while the Tyler Adams interest was said to have gone largely unreported until now.
Why Vivell is being drawn into the accountability debate
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The wider argument set out by The Peoples Person is that INEOS, not Michael Carrick, should carry most of the blame for United’s stumbling start to the season. With the club back in the Champions League, the piece argues the co-owners should have strengthened across multiple positions rather than focusing narrowly on midfield, and even then, none of the new arrivals were reportedly the club’s genuine top targets.
The failed pursuit of Mateus Fernandes is cited as a particular low point for Matt Hargreaves, the club’s director of football negotiations, while Omar Berrada is also named among those facing criticism. Vivell, by contrast, has generally escaped that scrutiny thanks to his reputation as an elite scout – something the report suggests is undeserved given his direct involvement in pursuing Ederson before that deal collapsed.
United’s evolving recruitment structure has been a recurring talking point since INEOS moved to an executive-led model built around figures like Vivell, Wilcox and Berrada, and this latest report suggests that structure has not eliminated the kind of missed targets that plagued United under previous regimes. It also sits awkwardly alongside Berrada’s own public message about the club’s summer transfer approach, and questions raised elsewhere about whether player profiles actually matched the tactical brief set for this squad.
United must start delivering results
Both Ederson and Adams would likely have been underwhelming additions regardless, with the Brazilian goalkeeper’s move eventually breaking down over a medical issue. But the report’s broader point stands: the noise around Old Trafford will only grow more toxic if results do not improve soon.
That pressure lands squarely on the upcoming fixture, with United needing a response on the pitch before the recruitment inquest drags on any further.