Manchester United have been consistent losers in the transfer market in recent years, and this past window ended up being more about jettisoning dead wood than building up.
Up until this past window there hasn’t been much of a coherent strategy in place other than throwing money at the biggest names available. However, this summer has seen a discernible plan of attack- a focus on young, hungry, ambitious English talent. Perhaps with the hire of a director of football, a position Old Trafford has been pursuing for many months now, the direction and plan will be augmented.
According to the Daily Mirror, United have a new front-runner, and it’s their former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. The 48-year-old Dutchman currently serves as chief executive of Ajax, who had a surprising and stellar run to the semifinals of the Champions League this past season.
Van Der Sar could make a good fit as he’s somebody with both
a.) business experience with a club at a very high level and
b.) good first hand knowledge of the club’s culture. Whomever takes the position will have to work as a go between CEO Ed Woodward and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Of course, the question remains, will Woodward, a brilliant business mind but bad at football guy cede enough of his own power to make this work? Is Van der Saar, who made 186 appearances for United from 2005-2011, the guy who fits the bill?
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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