Man Utd takeover: Sir Jim Ratcliffe 'targets' ex-Liverpool chief for key role

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's partial takeover of Manchester United edges ever nearer.

And the Independent report that former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards is 'much admired' by Sir Jim Ratcliffe as he ponders appointing a new face to that role.

He could face competition for the role, though. As reported by Manchester World last week, Sunderland’s former sporting director Lee Congerton is reportedly under consideration to take on the same role at Manchester United.

The Red Devils are looking for a new sporting director, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's deal for a 25 per cent stake in the club nearing its completion.

According to the Telegraph, Ratcliffe is expected to take advice from Sir Alex Ferguson, who is an admirer of Crystal Palace’s sporting director Dougie Freedman. The report claims Congerton is also being considered, along with former AC Milan duo Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara and Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta.

Congerton was appointed head of international development at Italian club Atalanta last year, after spells at Celtic and Leicester, where he held head of recruitment roles. The 50-year-old spent a year and a half at Sunderland before leaving the club at the end of 2015, following Sam Allardyce’s appointment on Wearside.

Meanwhile, there are reports the Sir Jim Ratcliffe partial takeover could impact the club's hopes of Champions League football next season.

Ratcliffe and his Ineos consortium are in the final stages of the negotiations for him to purchase 25 percent of the club’s shares for a fee of around £1.3bn. Once that is agreed, the deal will need to be ratified with the Premier League while there will also be a gap in order to comply with public company regulations.

It could be concluded by next week. However, next season the Champions League is being expanded. French clubs will get three automatic spots and a play-off place, with Premier League sides five.

The Sun report: "But under Uefa’s “multi-club ownership” rules, the only way United and Nice can both play in Europe in the next campaign is if one seals an automatic Champions League spot and the other qualifies directly for the Conference League.

"If both finish in the Champions League spots in their respective divisions, the team that finishes higher of the two gets the place with the other banned from Europe."