Rio Ferdinand remained tight-lipped amid talk of a surprise return to Manchester United as sporting director.
The Old Trafford giants are going through a background restructuring process, with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward looking to bring in a technical director having named Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as permanent manager.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, left, and Rio Ferdinand, right, were team-mates at Manchester United (Gareth Copley/PA)
Press Association Sport understands that United have decided for the title of technical director rather than a director of football or sporting director, with a number of individuals sounded out over recent months as the club look for the right fit.
Woodward is understood to have spoken to ex-United defender Ferdinand as he looks to fill the role, but the exact intricacies of such conversations are unclear.
The former centre-back was seen speaking to former United team-mate and current Ajax chief executive Edwin Van Der Sar – another man linked to the Old Trafford post – on Tuesday and was asked on BT Sport if he was getting tips following Tuesday’s reports.
Ed Woodward, left, is looking to oversee a restructure of United’s off-field staff (John Walton/PA)
“The game today is more important than talking about that,” Ferdinand said ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg between Tottenham and Ajax.
“He’s a lovely fella (Van Der Sar). He’s doing a fantastic job there. He was just telling me the ins and outs of what he actually gets up to there.
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“It’s very demanding but very satisfying when you’re playing at a level like this at this stage in the tournament.”
Mike Phelan, right, has also been linked with the role (Martin Rickett/PA)
United intend to name their technical director before the start of next season, with the role to take in the first-team set-up and a longer-term view incorporating the academy pathways.
Mike Phelan, Sir Alex Ferguson’s former right-hand man, has also been linked with the role after working as Solskjaer’s assistant since December.
The 56-year-old has yet to sign a full-time deal at Old Trafford and has been working as sporting director of Central Coast Mariners, who are bottom of the A-League in Australia.
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