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What's the story?
With just two wins in their last 10 games, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Manchester United face an uphill task to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for next season. Last weekend's draw against top-four rivals Chelsea did not help their cause.
Many pundits have blamed United's lack of a Sporting Director for their flawed transfer activity and decline since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013. According to MEN, United may have found the answer to their prayers in 2008 Champions League-winning legend Rio Ferdinand.
In case you didn't know...
Ferdinand was signed by Ferguson from Leeds United in the 2002-03 season and he went on to become one of the world's top center backs, forming a seemingly insurmountable central defensive partnership with Serbian Nemanja Vidic.
He played at Old Trafford for 12 years, racking up an incredible 6 English Premier League titles along with the 2008 UEFA Champions League title.
The heart of the matter
Many outlets including Sky and Express have reported that United Chief Executive Ed Woodward has held talks with the 40-year-old Ferdinand over the position of Sporting Director, to oversee transfers along with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Another United legend, Paul Scholes, and Mike Phelan are reportedly the other candidates in contention for the coveted post.
In a recent interview, Ferdinand spoke extensively about the difficulty United will face in bringing in new players.
It’s easy to know who you’re going to go for. It’s just are Man United going to be at the front of the queue now when you’re going for players? If you’re going to go for the top, top level players.
He also remarked that the recent transfer decisions at the club have not been up to the mark.
It is a giant of a club and if I was a player out there and Manchester United came in for me now in today’s game, I’d be thinking ‘can I be one of the players who is the catalyst to getting this club back to where it should be?’.
That [staying in the Champions League] definitely is a case. But I still think Man United carry the weight in terms of the exposure a player will get once they come here. But the recruitment in the last few years has probably not been at the level you would probably want from this club.”
What's next?
United are set to face Huddersfield away this Sunday as they look to challenge for a precious top four spot in the Premier League.
