Manchester United seems ready to enter a new era, and for the first time in history, the Red Devils might join the trend of naming a director of football to handle all matters away from the pitch.
This move is intended to make an immediate impact in the club's transfer business, along with those decisions that have to do with the team's academy. Having a Director of Football will enable the manager to focus solely on the pitch, rather than having to deal with the team's transfer business, to name one.
Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill worked together to fill the void of a Director of Football back in the day, but with the Scottish boss out of the picture, Manchester United has been adrift ever since, with no clear indication of what each signing is intended to accomplish.
Currently, EPL clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool have taken the approach of hiring a Director of Football. The Citizens dominated the English top flight last year thanks to their good eye for transfers (and a massive check book), and Liverpool is following the same path by judging each signing not only for immediate results, but for all things they can accomplish in the near future.
Added to that, this move would force Jose Mourinho to keep his eyes on the pitch, while it would also give control of the team back to the team's execs. Each transfer decision would be fueled by what each player can contribute to the team on the long run.
Who are the candidates?
The shortlist for what will be a coveted spot in football has three names included. The first option for the job is none other than Edwin Van der Sar, who performed a similar role successfully at Ajax. The former goalkeeper is a well-respected figure among Manchester United footballers and fans.
The next option is working wonders at Roma. Spanish exec Monchi gave Sevilla three UEFA Europa League titles with his good eye for transfers, and his system is still being employed by Los Hispalenses, a team that made a habit out of buying players at bargain-like prices, but got every ounce of talent out of their bodies before selling them in multi-million deals.
The final name in this shortlist is Juventus' Fabio Paratici. The Italian exec was at the center of a tug of war between Sampdoria and Juventus when he decided to join La Vecchia Signora. He's been in charge of most of Juve's signings for almost a decade, with impressive results for the bianconeri.
