Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first priority as Manchester United manager will be to find a new sporting director.

According to MEN Sport, incumbent John Murtough impressed during INEOS fact-finding missions to Carrington. However, they remain convinced that a new sporting director is required to steer United in the correct direction.

Murtough is expected to remain at United in an administrative role until a replacement is found. According to the Manchester Evening News, Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth is Ratcliffe’s top target, having supervised a rise at St James’ Park and his previous club Brighton.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph has identified a slew of names that are supposedly being considered. We examined the candidates and their transfer success stories.

Dan Ashworth

Newcastle’s sporting director may have unlimited resources at his disposal, but he has chosen his targets well. Anthony Gordon was a wise purchase, and Tino Livramento has been a revelation as the Magpies continue to recruit well. Ashcroft’s resume at Brighton was outstanding, having discovered talented players like Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, and Kaoru Mitoma from near obscurity before promoting them to the first squad.

Julian Ward

Ward had been working in Liverpool’s boardroom as technical director until May of this year, when he was promoted to sports director in the final 12 months of his Anfield tenure. While the Reds’ recent transfer business has not been spectacular, there have been some notable acquisitions. During Ward’s tenure, Diogo Jota stands out.

Dougie Freedman

The Crystal Palace sporting director has had a successful tenure at Selhurst Park. Marc Guehi from Chelsea was one of his most recent prominent additions, and he has rapidly established himself as a regular and has been linked with United. Freedman has also made extensive use of the loan market, bringing in players such as Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Paul Mitchell

Mitchell, a fan favorite at United, has a solid reputation thanks to his earlier work at Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. Bringing players like Heung Min-Son, Dele Alli, and Kieran Trippier to Spurs demonstrated his knowledge and set the club up for a successful phase under Mauricio Pochettino.

Lee Congerton

The Welshman has been a member of Atalanta’s recruitment squad since 2022, but prior to that he was Leicester City’s chief scout. The Foxes signed Wesley Fofana, Youri Tielemans, and James Maddison during this period.

Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara

Former AC Milan combo Maldini and Massara were astute transfer market operators in Italy. Their acquisitions were a blend of youth and experience. Olivier Giroud proved to be a cheap and wise signing from Chelsea, while Fikayo Tomori has grown in stature. Rafael Leao was perhaps their most notable signing, with the former Lille man quickly becoming one of Europe’s most sought-after players.

Andrea Berta

The long-serving Atletico Madrid sporting director has helped the team return to prominence in Spain. Rodri, Thomas Lemar, and Rodrigo de Paul are among his notable signings.