Erik ten Hag knows what he will get from Paolo Maldini amid Manchester United sporting director links

For too long at Manchester United, the phrase 'transfer strategy' has meant little more than identifying the next ageing former star who is hoped to turn the tide of an under-performing side.

Erik ten Hag arrived at United last year to find a mix-and-match squad high in ego and low in unity. The previous nine years that followed Sir Alex Ferguson's arrival saw a churn of managers, differing in experience and playing-style, each bringing in their own players before moving on.

Most well-run clubs wouldn't have allowed such a mismatch of transfer policies to play out but United are not a well-run club. The Glazers have made no palpable impact on the footballing side of things and those in positions of power over the last decade haven't done much better.

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United have spent more than £1billion since Ferguson's 2013 retirement and have little to show for it, and that is why reports are suggesting John Murtough's job as sporting director is at risk. Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks set to take control of footballing matters imminently, once his 25 per cent stake in the club is ratified.

The INEOS chief is already looking to shake things up, with confirmation coming earlier in the week that chief executive Richard Arnold would leave his role. Murtough seems most likely to follow suit, with Paolo Maldini one of the names linked to replace him.

Best known for his incredible playing career as a defender, Maldini went upstairs at AC Milan in 2018 and was promoted to technical director by 2019. Three years later, the Rossoneri won their first Serie A title for more than a decade.

Throughout his