Manchester United is having a big change in the next few days, with some new owners coming in at the club. The club was long contested by two potential new owners, Sheikh Jassim and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The former just pulled out of the deal and it seems Sir Jim will be one of the new owners of the club.
Along with Sir Ratcliffe, a new change is coming in the sporting department, with Paul Mitchell a favorite to become the new sporting director. But who is Paul Mitchell, and why is he so linked with Manchester United?
Examining Paul Mitchell profile
Paul Mitchell did not have a worthwhile soccer career, retiring at 27. But what he couldn’t do as a player, he did much more as a sporting director. He has established himself as an elite director at clubs like MK Dons, Tottenham Hotspur, Red Bull Leipzig and Monaco. While he started as a scout at first, he became more suited to his current role.
Currently, he is not at any club, having left Monaco’s successful project recently. At all his previous clubs, Mitchell has an excellent record of building superb teams capable of challenging trophies. But what’s more important is how he finds hidden gems and then makes them into world-class players, selling them for a fortune to bigger clubs.
But it was at Monaco that he elevated himself as a sporting director. Instead of being a transfer guru, he became more involved in the team’s academy, leading to the French club boasting a new system of bringing in talented youth players. He is also heavily credited with implementing a clear football style for the club and bringing in suitable players. He did this using data analysis and other factors, making him a revolutionary figure.
What’s more important is that he has linked every department at the club, from recruitment to the training ground, making the club a well-run one. This is what United desperately need now and Paul Mitchell seems to be the perfect man for the Red Devils.
Notable players scouted by Mitchell
Mitchell has an incredible resume too, with an impressive amount of players that were scouted by him for the many clubs he has worked at.
Many players who are now renowned and world-class were brought to their respective clubs by him. These include the likes of Sadio Mané, Nordi Mukiele, Dani Olmo, Dayot Upamecano, Christopher Nkunku, Dele Alli, Kieran Trippier, Matheus Cunha, and Toby Alderweireld.
He is a big reason for Tottenham’s success under Mauricio Pochettino, working with him to create the perfect team. In fact, the team that played in the 2019 Champions League final was possible largely thanks to him.
If Sir Jim Ratcliffe does take over and Paul Mitchell is brought in, it would be a game changer for United. We could slowly see the club return to it’s original glory days.
