Man Utd off-field shake-up continues with Matt Judge set to leave

Head of football negotiations Matt Judge is to leave Manchester United as a shake-up of the recruitment set-up continues, the PA news agency understands.

Having finished as Premier League and Europa League runners-up last season, a sense of progress quickly evaporated and Ralf Rangnick came in as interim manager following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s November exit.

The German is set to fail in his attempt to lead United to Champions League qualification and the new Austria boss will transition to an advisory role in the summer, when Ajax’s Erik ten Hag will join as manager.

Rangnick has underlined the need for improved recruitment and changes behind the scenes continue ahead of a much-needed summer rebuild.

After last week’s news that chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout had departed, it has now emerged that Judge will also be leaving United.

Having led contract and transfer talks under former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, he took up the title of director of football negotiations last March.

That announcement came as Darren Fletcher was named technical director and John Murtough became football director – a change to football operations that saw Judge report into the latter.

Judge is reported to have resigned and the exit is understood to be amicable at a time of change at the top of the club, with Murtough to be supported by the club’s legal and recruitment teams moving forward.