Man Utd need a transfer revolution this summer says Rangnick

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 19 Apr 2022 16:58 BST
• 4 min read

Manchester United interim coach Ralf Rangnick believes the club may need to change the way they operate if they want to challenge at the very top of English football again.

Rangnick, who replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the dugout earlier this season, will move into a consultancy role next year in order to oversee the footballing activities at the club.

The 'godfather' of German coaching has experience of hands-on coaching as well as being in the boardroom thanks to his time at the Red Bull group and brief stint at Lokomotiv Moscow, and his replacement as head coach at Man Utd will likely be Erik ten Hag.

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The current Ajax manager is expected to become Man Utd's new manager ahead of next season, but it's crucial he isn't left to deal with all operations at the club according to Rangnick.

What does Rangnick want to introduce at Man Utd?

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the German admitted that there are things he will draw from his homeland and believes Man Utd need to improve in certain areas in order to close the gap to the best teams in the Premier League.

"In Germany we have a head coach and then there is usually a minimum of two skilled people continuously in the club on a longer-term basis responsible for recruitment, scouting and any daily operation," he said.

"They also bring in the right and best possible head coach for the team," he added. "This still hasn't got a big tradition here [in England] and so the job of a sporting director or director of football - only a few clubs have that [in the Premier League].

"I know that for the future, and even more so for a big club like Manchester United, you can't put all those jobs and tasks and the whole responsibility only on the shoulder of one person - on the manager. I'm not sure if this can be dealt with by one person, no matter how good he is," Rangnick admitted.

Ten Hag will arrive at Old Trafford with plenty of expectations following his impressive spell at Ajax, especially in the Champions League. He has been praised for how he's rebuilt the Dutch giants following the sales of Hakim Ziyech, Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, among others, but Rangnick doesn't believe Ten Hag should be left to his own devices at Man Utd.

Rangnick also said: "I know Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea also have smart people who take care of recruitment, scouting, the medical department… I think this is also an issue for our club, where they have to pay attention to."

John Murtough is Man Utd's football director, and Rangnick will aid in the recruitment of players, but the lack of a sporting director at Man Utd is an issue the club is looking to fix.

They have been linked with Monaco's sporting director Paul Mitchell, which shows how Rangnick's desire to revolutionise the transfer strategy at the club is currently beginning.

Rangnick conducted a similar thing at RB Leipzig, who are now known for their shrewd work in the transfer market, and is seemingly now putting together a long-term project at Old Trafford.

Man Utd have spent around €800 million since they last won a trophy, the 2016/17 Europa League, and it seems as though Rangnick wants to rectify the transfer business with a clear structure at the club.