Sir Jim Ratcliffe will reportedly look to make a new boardroom appointment if he becomes Manchester United's new partial owner, but The United Stand presenter Beth Tucker is not overly convinced by the latest links.
Man Utd takeover latest
Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson ended his legendary stint as Red Devils manager back in 2013, it has often been a turbulent time at Old Trafford, even though some success has still been achieved along the way, including Europa League, FA Cup and EFL Cup triumphs.
The likes of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have all tried and failed to be the answer in the dugout, while Erik ten Hag finds himself under pressure after a disappointing start to the season.
One thing that hasn't helped any of those managers is the ongoing ownership situation at United, with the Glazers proving to be hugely unpopular among a vast chunk of the fanbase, and a change needed at the top. It looks as though Ratcliffe could be that man, with reports suggesting he is confident of earning at least a 25% share in the club he supports.
Should that happen, the Englishman would then have a major say on big decisions happening at United, including the potential appointment of a new sporting director, with nobody currently in that role.
Man Utd want Paul Mitchell
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Tucker was not impressed the idea of rumoured new director target Paul Mitchell to Manchester United, however, with the Red Devils needing to look at higher calibre options than the current Monaco man:
"Paul Mitchell is somebody who I admire for the names that he has brought into certain football clubs, but I also think people may be getting a bit ahead of themselves.
"Yes, he has been at Spurs, Leipzig and Monaco, but they're not the top, top elite clubs in the world. I think Manchester United need to be aiming for the best, but we will have to wait and see what happens with that.
"But some of the names he has scouted across the years are miles better than what Manchester United have done, so it is the start of something, I suppose."
While there is definitely some truth in Tucker's comments that Mitchell is yet to prove himself at a genuine European footballing powerhouse in his career, he is still a relatively young man and has to start somewhere when it comes to being given a chance to prove his worth.
The 42-year-old is thought of highly in the game by many, with Monaco's director of performance James Bunce hailing him as "one of the best sporting directors in world football" – he is also a boyhood United fan, like Ratcliffe – and it is the type of bold decision that needs to be made by the Red Devils if they are to return to the top of English football.
That's not necessarily saying that Mitchell is the guaranteed answer to United's problems, but he should certainly be seen as a strong contender to come in and work effectively alongside Ten Hag when it comes to signings.
