Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 13:27• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 13:30

Manchester United has given substance to the positions of on Wednesday football director and technical director. The club announces through official channels that John Murtough has been appointed as football director, while former midfielder Darren Fletcher takes up the position of technical director. They are new roles within the organizational structure at Old Trafford.

After the retirement of manager Sir Alex Ferguson and director David Gill in the summer of 2013, Vice President Ed Woodward became largely responsible for transfer matters. However, it was already clear in recent years that new functions would be created to change that. In particular about the position of football director there was much speculation in the past year. The names of Marc Overmars and Edwin van der Sar, respectively director of football affairs and general director of Ajax, regularly passed in review in the English newspapers. Murtough was also named as a candidate and he was ultimately chosen. He has served as head of the youth academy at Manchester United since 2016 and is therefore jointly responsible for the development of players such as Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. In 2018, he also took charge of the composition of the new Manchester United women’s team, putting himself in the spotlight as potential newcomers. football director.

Murtough will work closely with trainer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “This is a great time for everyone at Manchester United. The first team, the youth academy and the women’s team are doing well and there is still plenty of room for further development. the new club director. “It is an honor to lead the football field and to partner with Ole, Casey (Stoney, Women’s Coach, ed.) And the wonderful people who are committed to the success of this club.” Vice-President Woodward believes that Manchester United has chosen the right candidate. In his eyes, the club is increasingly successful in integrating talents into the first team and Murtough has played a crucial role in this. “This new position is a natural result of his leadership skills and years of experience.”

Fletcher will ‘work closely with Murtough’, Manchester United writes, to ‘provide technical input and direction for all football-related areas’. The former midfielder, who served between 2003 and 2015 before the Red Devils was published, will focus on a ‘long-term vision for the development of players and teams’, with a special focus on the connection between the youth academy and the first team. He has been part of Solskjaer’s technical staff since January and is therefore also promoted within the club. “It is great to be back at the club and I am delighted with this new role. We are heading in the right direction. I look forward to continuing to work with Ole and his coaching staff, and now also with John, to bring young to allow players to break through and to further develop the football part of the club. “