Prospective Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is exploring potential candidates for the sporting director role at the club, and one of the names on his list is Lee Congerton, Atalanta’s head of senior recruitment. Ratcliffe, who is set to become a minority shareholder at Old Trafford with his $1.6bn (£1.3bn/€1.5bn) proposal, aims to revamp the club’s off-field personnel and recruitment strategy.
Congerton, a former coach at Chelsea and Liverpool, has been influential in Atalanta’s senior recruitment since joining the Italian club. He played a key role in bringing Rasmus Højlund to Atalanta from Austria before the Danish player was eventually sold to Manchester United in the summer transfer window. While Congerton is being considered for the role, other candidates such as Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman and former Monaco transfer guru Paul Mitchell are also on Ratcliffe’s radar (the Telegraph reports).
It is worth noting that Ratcliffe plans to seek advice from Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson before finalizing the appointment of a sporting director. Ferguson’s long-standing relationship with Freedman could boost the latter’s chances of landing the job, with the Scot expected to lend support to his compatriot. Freedman has made astute signings for Crystal Palace since transitioning from management to his current role.
Leave a Reply