Manchester United have made an official approach to Southampton for director of football Jason Wilcox.
Southampton are set to reject United’s proposal and are prepared to place Wilcox on gardening leave for 12 months if the two clubs cannot agree compensation.
United have offered to pay Southampton the equivalent of a full year of Wilcox’s salary as part of the proposal and are hoping for a reasonable and amicable outcome.
The Athletic reported in February United were working on a deal to appoint Wilcox as a key figure in the club’s new sporting hierarchy.
His proposed role would report in to a sporting director, with Newcastle United’s Dan Ashworth placed on gardening leave after asking to depart the club following Manchester United’s interest.
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Wilcox resigned as Manchester City’s academy director in January 2023 ahead of his move to Southampton. He has been in the post at the Championship for nine months.
City were keen to keep Wilcox and made an offer for him to stay, but he elected to end his nine-year stay with the Etihad Stadium club.
Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb, as well as Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, all developed in the City academy during Wilcox’s time as director, a role he began in 2017 having previously worked as Under-18s head coach.
During his playing career, Wilcox won the Premier League while at Blackburn Rovers, also featuring for Leeds United and Blackpool before retiring in 2006.
Appointing Wilcox would be another impressive acquisition for United if the move comes to fruition. They have already appointed Omar Berrada as their new chief executive, with the Spaniard to join from rivals Manchester City at the end of the season.
Ashworth, meanwhile, informed Newcastle of his intention to depart in February.
United’s changes in their football hierarchy come against the backdrop of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS purchasing a 25 per cent stake in the club from the Glazer family.
Ratcliffe and INEOS have taken over the football operations at United, with the firm’s CEO Jean-Claude Blanc and director of sport Sir David Brailsford joining the Premier League side’s board, alongside Berrada.
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2024-04-02 00:30:15
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