Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Jason Wilcox as the club’s new technical director as Old Trafford’s admin restructuring under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS continues.
Wilcox joins from Championship club Southampton, where he served as Sporting Director and now begins his new role with immediate effect.
Man Utd chief executive Omar Berrada knows Wilcox well from time at Man City.
Wilcox will work with all technical areas of the football department to “achieve the highest standards of performance”, the Old Trafford club said in a statement.
Southampton also released a statement via X to confirm they have “reluctantly” allowed Wilcox to join United after reaching an agreement on an “acceptable compensation fee”.
JASON WILCOX CAREER SO FAR
During his playing days, Wilcox was a winger and 1995 Premier League title winner at Blackburn Rovers.
He also played for Leeds and Blackpool and won three England caps before retiring in 2006.
After his retirement, Wilcox worked his way up to the role of academy director during his 11-year stay at Manchester City.
The 53-year-old joined Southampton as director of football last summer after the club’s relegation to the Championship and has since played a crucial role in the club’s push for promotion.
Manchester United had approached The Saints earlier this month but there was a dispute over the terms of his release, which United believed they had met by offering the equivalent of a year of his salary.
Southampton disputed the existence of the relevant clause and were angered that Wilcox had been unsettled as they chase promotion back to the premier league.
New United chief executive Omar Berrada knows Wilcox well from their time together at Manchester City, where Wilcox worked his way up from coach to academy director.
Berrada wants Wilcox to form a crucial part of the new recruitment set-up at Old Trafford; and to be guided, eventually, by sporting director-elect Dan Ashworth.
Ashworth is also the subject of talks over a compensation agreement with Newcastle, who have put him on a substantial period of gardening leave that may yet delay his official start until after the summer transfer window.
John Murtough stepped down as football director at Old Trafford last week but it is understood Darren Fletcher will continue to play a key role in the football leadership team working across the men’s first team and academy.
