Super agent Jorge Mendes and Sir Jim Ratcliffe discuss on desperate Man Utd transfer plan
Under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, Manchester United is reorganizing its recruitment department and is expected to adopt a new strategy in the summer transfer window.
Manchester United is trying to improve their much-maligned hiring process by utilizing super agent Jorge Mendes’ contact book.
As he works to revamp the Old Trafford scouting network, new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has met with Mendes, who represents a plethora of elite players, including former United manager Jose Mourinho, Pedro Neto, Darwin Nunez, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Dan Ashworth is leaving Newcastle United to become Sporting Director while Southampton’s Jason Wilcox has been installed as Technical Director. Ratcliffe intends on being hands on when it comes to signing new players after being dismayed at what he insists has been a flawed and expensive recruitment policy.
He has quickly recognised that Mendes is a huge mover and shaker in the transfer world and wants to be able to utilise the Portuguese’s extensive knowledge. Wolves cemented their place in the Premier League by bringing in a number of Mendes players while Nottingham Forest have also leaned heavily on him.
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Now United want to follow suit while Benfica midfielder Joao Neves – a Mendes player – is on the Old Trafford wish list in what will be a busy summer for Ashworth and company. The 19-year-old, already a Portugal international, is seen as fitting the Ratcliffe template, a young improving player hungry to make an impact.
United have also been linked with another Mendes client, AC Milan forward Rafael Leao, but with an asking price of around £100million his arrival is less likely than that of Neves.
Speaking earlier this month, Ratcliffe suggested his ambition wasn’t simply to sign the biggest players. “It’s not where our focus is,” he said.
Portuguese super-gent Jorge Mendes could hold the cards in Manchester United’s summer transfer business.
“The solution isn’t spending a lot of money on a couple of great players. They’ve done that over the last 10 years.
“The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes who are managing and organising the club and make sure we get recruitment right. It’s such a vital part of running a football club today, finding new players.”
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That will come as a shock to many and there have already been question marks aired from the likes of Jamie Carragher. The Feyenoord manager certainly has some big boots to fill.
With quite a small pool of suitable candidates to choose from though, whoever came in was always going to be a little underwhelming.
Despite that though, there had been a handful of front-runners who were always said to be leading the process. Slot wasn’t really one of them. Ruben Amorim was, and now the 39-year-old has given his reaction to missing out.
Ruben Amorim reacts to Arne Slot to Liverpool
With Xabi Alonso out of the way, Amorim had emerged as the likely candidate to take the open job at Anfield.
However, after news broke early in the week that the Sporting boss was in talks with West Ham, doubt was cast over his candidacy. As it turns out, those question marks were legitimate.
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It has since been claimed that Amorim was simply asking for too much money from Liverpool. But whether he was ever truly really in the running or not, maybe we’ll never know.
According to The Independent’s ‘Reading The Game’ Friday newsletter, Amorim himself firmly believed that he was in the running to succeed Klopp.
Not only that, but it’s claimed those ‘close to’ the former Benfica midfielder thought he was the ‘leading candidate.’ As a result, from Amorim’s point of view, the decision to go with Slot was reportedly ‘unexpected.’
If that wasn’t bad enough for him, then it’s also claimed that he had the exact same feelings over the Barcelona position. Amorim thought he was the top contender, only to see Xavi unexpectedly reverse his decision to leave.
What next for Ruben Amorim
This unfortunately does not paint Amorim in wholly the best of lights. From the wage demands to the complacency over being the top candidate. Maybe Liverpool dodged a bullet here.
Nevertheless, it feels inevitable that Amorim will be at one of Europe’s top clubs before too long. As those who have worked with him attest, he’s a ‘tremendous’ manager [The Athletic]. He’ll probably end up in the Premier League.
When Amorim does eventually make it to England’s top division, it sounds like he might well have a point to prove against Liverpool.
Maybe they just made themselves an enemy for life.
In the meantime though, the Reds will focus on getting things signed and sealed with Slot.