Jim Ratcliffe’s move to Monaco in 2020 may have been bad news for the British taxpayer, but not for Manchester United fans.
The chemical billionaire looks set to buy a 25 per cent stake in the Premier League giants after fellow bidder, Sheikh Jassim, withdrew his offer.
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Ratcliffe could still have a big say at UnitedCredit: getty
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His wisest move could be to land his old neighbour Mitchell
That news hasn’t been too warmly welcomed by United supporters, who would still have to put up with the hugely unpopular Glazer family in control of the club.
It could, though, mean some sort of progress, if the Manchester born Ratcliffe follows through with his vision to revolutionise the club.
Should Ratcliffe come in, talkSPORT understands that he would take charge of footballing matters, something the Glazers have been accused of having little to no interest in.
Already a top tier European owner of OGC Nice, there has been some success, but nothing compared to their French riviera neighbours, where Ratcliffe appears set to look for inspiration.
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Paul Mitchell recently left the principality, but he could well be back there in meetings with Ratcliffe who is planning to appoint a sporting director.
Mitchell fulfilled that role at Monaco after previous stints at Leipzig, Tottenham, Southampton and MK Dons, becoming one of football’s most respected executives.
A former player in England’s lower leagues, Mitchell was previously linked with Chelsea and Liverpool, and much like Ratcliffe, he’s also from Greater Manchester.
Starring mainly for Wigan and MK Dons, it was with the latter where Mitchell was moved upstairs, and made his first big move by spotting future England regular Dele Alli after being named their head of recruitment in 2010.
Two years later he joined Southampton in the same role, and that’s where he really began to show off, landing the Saints a number of players who would not only go on to become Champions League regulars, but make the club a fortune and ensure a Premier League best finish.
Showcasing his skills in casting his scouting net far and wide, Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle, Dejan Lovren and Victor Wanyama all went on to secure Southampton a bright future, and Mitchell a promotion to Tottenham in 2014.
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Mane was one of Mitchell’s early successes
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But there’s been many moreCredit: Getty
The north London side had just unsuccessfully splurged their world record £85million from Real Madrid for Gareth Bale, and it looked like Mitchell couldn’t have picked a worse time.
However, names such as Alli, Heung-Min Son, Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier and Kieran Trippier set the side up for a bright future, before chairman Daniel Levy got in Mitchell’s way.
Leaving what he called his ‘dream job’ after less than two years, it was reportedly due to Levy’s over-involvement in negotiations and the recruitment process, something which wasn’t an issue at his next club – Leipzig.
Ralf Rangnick landed Mitchell and more success followed. Signings such as Dani Olmo, Christopher Nkunku and Amadou Haidara again showcased what Mitchell can do with the shackles off, and again the results followed.
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Getting Nkunku from PSG was one of Mitchell’s biggest coupsCredit: Getty
Many of his signings starred in a run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2020, and in 2022 won the club’s first ever trophy with a DFB Pokal.
Only leaving the side to reach the pinnacle of his job, finally stepping up from a head of recruitment to become sporting director at Monaco, Mitchell showed just how big picture he is with an interview in 2021.
“I want to continue to drive standards in each and every department,” he said. “Psychology, sports science, nutrition, medicine, the way we travel, the way we refuel.
“Everything, every element I think we need to keep pushing to its maximum to try and be the best we possibly can.”
Having worked in football management for over a decade, Mitchell’s career has always been about the long term for his club’s, with the young signings he’s made often only paying off after he’s left.
One in particular was 2022/23 Premier League top scorer Son, who perfectly sums up his philosophy.
“I took quite a lot of criticism in my first year at Tottenham for some of the decisions and Sonny was kind of at the centre of that,” he explained.
“Sometimes players need time, they’re human beings, they need to settle, Sonny had a great track record at Hamburg and Leverkusen but there was this narrative that started to grow internally and externally that he wasn’t a good finisher.
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Mitchell is becoming an increasingly recognisable face
“I remember telling a coach ‘you’re wrong, his history shows in two different clubs he’s a very astute finisher off both sides’.”
Mitchell remains good friends with Rangnick from their time together at Leipzig, and last season was spotted at a youth team game while the German was interim coach.
So astute is Mitchell in his observations, he even laid out a blueprint for the club’s success while at Monaco.
“I think context is important to measure what Manchester United’s current situation is, but I think they do need to get to the point of really putting down what Manchester United needs to be in the modern game,” he explained.
“We are a long time from the Sir Alex Ferguson era. Erik ten Hag is a top coach from Ajax but they need a top blueprint not only for now but for the next five years, and work towards that, and sometimes on that journey there are hard moments when you don’t get the right results, even though you’re doing the right things.
“You have to know that, over that period, the consistency of the decision-making will yield a good end result. I think we’ve seen that both Manchester City and Liverpool, that when you adopt that long-term strategy you can get real consistency and sustainable success.
“I think that’s the biggest thing for Manchester United; putting down their identity of what they want to be today, but most crucially what they want to be in five years’ time, and where they want to be, and what they want to look like; from everything from young players, to the style of play, to the whole culture peace in Manchester United.”
Almost certain to consult Rangnick before any approach from Ratcliffe, Mitchell may be warned off of a club where long-term thinking hasn’t existed.
But, should Ratcliffe get his man, it could signal exactly the change in fortunes he and every supporter has been hoping for at Manchester United.
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