Erik ten Hag told what to expect from Dougie Freedman after Manchester United sporting director links

Erik ten Hag could have a new sporting director to work with at Manchester United amid reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is eyeing a major hire in the role.

The INEOS chief looks set to take control of footballing matters once his 25 per cent stake in United is ratified. It is hoped that will happen during this international break, almost a year after the Glazers announced plans for a strategic review.

Upon arriving, Ratcliffe is expected to oversee a reshuffle at United and bring in people of his own, with chief executive Richard Arnold and current sporting director John Murtough at risk of losing their jobs. Dougie Freedman is among two contenders to replace the latter, according to the Daily Mail.

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Freedman is currently occupying a similar role at Crystal Palace and has been since August 2017, having taken a brief and unsuccessful dip into management. He has been credited with playing a crucial role in Palace cementing their Premier League status and received praise from former manager Patrick Vieira.

“The support of the Chairman and Dougie is massively important,” Vieira told Palace's official website in April of last year. “There is really good communication through the football club that allows me to express myself as a manager.

“The success is about the players performing at the level we know they can do. We have a good platform to allow them to express themselves.

“This is one of the strengths of the football club: the Sporting Director who played at a high level, who understands the game, who understands the club and understands the demands of the fans.

“The