Man Utd to revamp scouting network in bid to reverse fortunes in transfer market

Manchester United have taken steps towards revamping their scouting department as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s push to change the way the club operates. Ratcliffe has been on a crusade to cut costs since taking control of the club in February 2024 and views recruitment as one of the areas that most needs addressing.

Since INEOS took control of the club, there have been a huge number of redundancies across the board – and the scouting department is no exception. The idea is to streamline the previously bloated department by better utilising data, with director of recruitment Christopher Vivell at the helm.

Vivell joined in February last year and has won support of the INEOS decision-makers through his work behind the scenes. Director of scouting Steve Brown, who was hired in 2016 by ex-football director John Murtough, has now left the club, with many other scouts following suit.

Just a few years ago, United used to use around 140 scouts. That number dropped to 80 earlier this year and is expected to be reduced even further, with a change in structure being implemented from the top down.

The Daily Mail reports that ‘sports intelligence agency’ Sportsology is now working on United’s behalf to find new hires. The London-based consultancy is looking for a head of senior recruitment, a head of emerging talent and several other senior roles, who will report to Vivell.

A report from earlier this year showed that United have racked up a staggering net spend of €1.3bn (£1.08bn) since 2015 – more than any other club in the world – without seeing the benefits on the pitch. They have not won the Premier League since 2013 and will be without any European football in 2025/26, having finished 15th and lost the Europa League final.

They have already splashed out £62.5m on Matheus Cunha and are negotiating the transfer of Bryan Mbeumo, who will cost north of £60m. A squad overhaul is planned, with the departures of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho helping to fund further arrivals.

Ratcliffe has been open about making the “difficult” decisions he believes are necessary to turn things around at United. " Manchester United has become mediocre," he told the United We Stand fanzine earlier this year.

"It is supposed to be one of the best football clubs in the world. We have to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. If you shy away from the difficult decisions, then nothing much is going to change.”

He added: "I know we get criticism in the press, but we do need to challenge the cost of running this club because what I want to be free for us to do is buy really good footballers, not spend so much of the money on infrastructure. We can't run a business at a loss, which is where United have been in the last couple of years."

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