MAN UNITED CONFIDENTIAL: Dan Ashworth increasingly likely to become football director, Varane and Ten Hag set aside their differences… and the manager issues a rallying cry to players after dismal European exit
John Murtough has held meetings this week over January transfer deals, even as it looks increasingly likely that Dan Ashworth will replace him as United's director of football once Sir Jim Ratcliffe moves to Old Trafford.
Ashworth holds a similar role at Newcastle, but has links with INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford. He is said to be highly rated by Ratcliffe's team, who are preparing to complete a £1.25 billion investment in United.
However, if the deal is not announced this week, it will likely be after Christmas and there will be a further delay of six to eight weeks before the deal is ratified.
Murtough will remain in place during the January transfer window and is likely to take up a new role at United once INEOS move in.
Rasmus Hojlund's big miss at Anfield in Sunday's goalless draw against Liverpool would have been particularly painful for Murtough, who was a keen believer in United going 'young and hungry' in the transfer market last summer. Hojlund was United's £72m signing, and was considered preferable to Harry Kane due to his long-term potential.
So far it hasn't paid off. Kane has scored 20 Bundesliga goals for Bayern Munich, while 20-year-old Hojlund is still looking for his first in the Premier League after just over four months.
It is increasingly likely that Dan Ashworth will take over as director of football at Manchester United
Ashworth is the choice of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is about to take a 25 percent stake
Rapha conundrum for United
Raphael Varane's future at Manchester United should become clearer in the coming weeks after he and manager Erik ten Hag appeared to have put their differences aside.
Varane has been United's best player in the last two games against Liverpool and Bayern Munich after returning to the starting line-up for the first time in seven weeks.
The Frenchman took offense at Ten Hag for saying he was left out of the Manchester derby for tactical reasons, and was unhappy that veteran Jonny Evans was selected ahead of him several times.
The situation appears to have been resolved for the time being, but it has cast doubt on Varane's future at Old Trafford, just as it emerges that his contract expires next summer, and not in 2025 as initially thought.
If United do not activate the 12-month extension to Varane's £340,000-a-week contract before the end of the year, he will be free to talk to foreign clubs about a free transfer in the summer from January 1.
Raphael Varane has worked his way into Erik ten Hag's plans again after being frozen
The French defender and the United boss appear to have put their differences aside
Although United have confirmed they will offer extensions to Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof, they remain tight-lipped about Varane. It is already known that Antony Martial will not be offered another 12 months, paving the way for his departure.
The plot became even more complicated after Mail Sport revealed that United football director John Murtough was in Saudi Arabia to finalize deals for United players including Varane, Jadon Sancho, Casemiro and Martial.
Ten Hag's battle cry
Erik ten Hag has conveyed the message to his players that there is still plenty to play for this season, despite leaving Europe.
Ten Hag gathered his squad in training after the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich last week and stressed the importance of aiming for the highest possible finish in the competition to secure a place in the top four.
Ten Hag told his players there was plenty to play for after United crashed out of Europe
United's dismal European campaign led to a rallying cry for his Ten Hag players
“The message from Erik and his staff was that the league is still a great target,” a source told Confidential. “He said things can change very quickly, and there are still a lot of games to go.”
United will also be looking to go as far as they can in the FA Cup after losing the final to Manchester City last season, with a third round match against Wigan Athletic next month the first hurdle.
Patrick holds the fort
United's interim chief executive Patrick Stewart has held a series of meetings with staff and fans to update them on the investment in INEOS.
Stewart has replaced Richard Arnold, who left the club after accepting he would not be part of the new line-up under Ratcliffe, although former Juventus CEO Jean-Claude Blanc is favorite to land the role on a permanent basis.
Stewart provided an update to the members of the Fans Forum on December 13 and was perhaps surprised by the strength of the feelings of supporters, who during the meeting expressed their frustrations with the lengthy nature of the takeover process.
Interim United CEO Patrick Stewart (right) met with fans and staff in recent weeks
Confidential understands that some forum members have been pleading with the owners to complete the deal with Ratcliffe as quickly as possible.
Fans also disputed statements from senior executives about the Glazers' alleged involvement with forum representatives – a reminder that Joel Glazer has not attended a Fans Forum in more than two years, despite promises that he would.
Out the door?
Donny van de Beek will undergo a medical at Eintracht Frankfurt ahead of his move to the Bundesliga, and he may not be the only United midfielder to be loaned out in January.
Donny van de Beek is loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the season
Promising youngster Dan Gore could also leave the club on loan to Preston
Dan Gore is also wanted by Preston North End, although it remains to be seen whether United will let the youngster spend the rest of the season at Deepdale.
Gore made his debut from the bench in United's Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace in September. It remains his only senior appearance to date, but the teenager has been an unused substitute on several occasions this season, including the last two games against Liverpool and Bayern Munich when Van de Beek was left out in preparation for the move to Frankfurt.
With Christian Eriksen returning to training on Monday and Mason Mount and Casemiro also on their way back from injury, United may be more open to Gore getting some first-team experience in the Championship in Preston.
Skinner feels the heat
Trouble appears to be brewing for United's women's team after some fans called for coach Marc Skinner's head following Sunday's home defeat to Liverpool.
Skinner guided United to second place in the WSL and FA Cup finals last season, but this season has not been as smooth with United in fourth place, seven points behind leaders Chelsea.
Highly rated assistant boss Martin Ho left at the end of June to take over at Norwegian club SK Brann Kvinner, with replacement Dan Bale only arriving in November.
It is also believed that United made too many signings late in the summer and Skinner made a pointed reference to the club being 'more aggressive' in the transfer market to compete.
Some United fans have called for the sacking of women's boss Mark Skinner following the defeat to Liverpool
£1m ticket boost for fans
Fans have raised £1million for the Manchester United Foundation through the club's match ticket donation programme.
Introduced ahead of last season, it offers supporters the opportunity to donate the cost of their ticket to the foundation if they are unable to attend matches at Old Trafford.
Nearly 8,000 fans took advantage of the program and donated the cost of more than 23,000 tickets. Since August 2022, supporters have raised an additional £100,000 by rounding up the cost of online purchases.
Collette Roche, United's Chief Operating Officer, said: 'I would like to thank our fans for the generosity they have shown since the opportunity to donate tickets became available just 18 months ago. The money raised will allow the foundation to broaden its work with young people who need support within the local community.'