United set to appoint highly-rated transfer guru to give club inside edge on the market – The Athletic

Manchester United have secured highly-rated analyst Kyle Macaulay to become the club’s head of senior scouting, according to a report. The Preferred Option The Athletic reveals United have been searching for a “key addition” to the recruitment department since July to work under Christopher Vivell, the club’s director of recruitment. “Several candidates” were considered for the role, with Southampton’s head of UK scouting Ben Chorley chief among them – but it was Macaulay who “emerged as the preferred option in a competitive process,” the report contends. The 39-year-old analyst became available in October after leaving West Ham, having previously worked for Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea. Macaulay has a “strong reputation” in football circles and both Chelsea and West Ham “attempted” to keep the former Scottish midfielder prior to his departure from each club. A Familiar Face It was at Stamford Bridge where Macaulay first met Vivell – the executive he will now report to at Old Trafford. The pair worked together from 2022 to 2023 when Vivell was Chelsea’s technical director and Macaulay was head of scouting. The analyst’s career has closely followed Graham Potter, with Macaulay following the English manager from club to club, beginning in Sweden’s fourth division with Ostersunds in 2012 . The pair then moved to Swansea City, Brighton and Chelsea, as Potter’s reputation – along with Macaulay’s – grew in English football, though only one’s remains intact at present. While serving as the head of scouting at the Amex Stadium, the Scot helped contribute to Brighton signing Moises Caicedo, Leandro Trossard, Mac Cucurella and Kaoru Mitoma – players all sold for huge profits – as well as former Red Devil, Danny Welbeck, on a free. The Athletic reveals Macaulay is “well-liked” at his previous clubs and is knowing for combining “data with his network” – a key asset of any recruitment lead. The 39-year-old will become United’s “head of senior scouting” and is the “latest addition to a reshaped scouting department at Old Trafford,” which is overseen by sporting director Jason Wilcox. Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.