Why potential Paul Mitchell appointment should terrify Manchester United players

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Manchester United are being linked with hiring Paul Mitchell once Sir Jim Ratcliffe commands control of the club’s football operations.

As far back as March 2023, The Independent claimed Sir Jim Ratcliffe was interested in hiring Paul Mitchell to lead recruitment if successful with his takeover of Manchester United.

Now Ratcliffe is nearing completion of purchasing a 25 per cent stake in the club, and The Telegraph report he wants control of the club’s football operations.

So it is unsurprising Paul Mitchell has been prominently linked in recent days. He is available after recently leaving Monaco, and Ben Jacobs claims that Mitchell wants a job at United and has already moved to the North West of England.

• READ: Transfer guru Paul Mitchell’s best 10 signings

Paul Mitchell could take ‘sledgehammer’ to squad

Mitchell has been linked with a role at Manchester United for years, touted as an option amid a restructuring that never happened after Jose Mourinho was fired in 2018.

There’s a fair chance he finally lands the role at United, and if he does, the playing squad should be very concerned.

The Athletic report how when Mitchell was hired by AS Monaco, one of his first actions was to enact a mass clearout, describing him as taking ‘sledgehammer’ to the squad.

“By the time his first transfer window closed, the number of players on professional contracts at the club had been reduced from 77 to 39, of whom 10 were from the academy.”

• READ: Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe? Net Worth and more of Man Utd’s new potential owner

Manchester United overhaul could be needed

This ‘clear the decks’ approach could be key for Manchester United, to free up wage space, transfer funds, and avoid errors of the past by keeping players long past their sell-by-date.

Last summer United began taking a more aggressive approach with first team and academy players, with 26 sold or released this summer transfer window.

But there are plenty left to cut, highlighted by a terrible start to the 2023/24 season which shows more changes are required.

Nobody will be totally safe from United’s planned overhaul, and Mitchell’s potential arrival in particular should concern the club’s rapidly increasing list of under-performers.