Man Utd clearout begins with top scouts

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout have left the club ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer in the transfer market.

The Red Devils are reeling from Tuesday’s chastening 4-0 defeat at rivals Liverpool, where the chasm in quality between the clubs was clear from the outset.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick said after the match that United needed as many as 10 new players in order to close the gap and a shake-up to the recruitment team was announced on Wednesday.

Chief scout Lawlor has decided to end his 16-year association with the club and Bout, who came to Old Trafford as part of Louis van Gaal’s backroom team in 2014, has also left.

Recruitment has been pinpointed as one of United’s major failings in a five-year trophy drought despite being one of the biggest spenders in the transfer market.

Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is expected to be named the club’s new manager in the coming days.

And Rangnick highlighted the need for the new boss to get the players he needs to fit his style of football.

“Before you sign those players, you need to know what kind of football does the new manager want to play,” said Rangnick after the 4-0 defeat at Anfield.

“Then bring every single player fitting into that profile.”