Manchester United decide who is in charge of recruitment ahead of transfer window

Matt Hargreaves will take control of Manchester United's recruitment plans following the departure of John Murtough.

Hargreaves, the director of player negotiations, was heavily involved in United's discussions for signings last summer having effectively replaced Matt Judge, who left in 2022.

There remains uncertainty over the long-term future of Hargreaves as United plan to hire Dan Ashworth as their inaugural sporting director and Jason Wilcox as technical director.

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Ashworth is on gardening leave at Newcastle and United are yet to make any headway in discussions over a severance package. Ashworth is not expected to be involved in recruitment this summer.

Wilcox, the director of football at Southampton, could join sooner and sources at the Championship club have suggested he could leave before the end of the season.

Darren Fletcher, the current technical director at United, will have to decide whether he wishes to stay on in a different capacity. United sources say they want the former midfielder to stay at the club.

United usually finalise plans for the summer transfer window in January but Ineos's 28 per cent investment in the club was not formally confirmed until February 20.

Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford is providing board-level oversight amid the restructure, having joined the United football board.

Murtough tendered his resignation last week, attended the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday and officially vacated his role as football director on Tuesday. The 53-year-old visited the dressing room after United were denied victory by a late Mohamed Salah equaliser.

The Manchester Evening News revealed in