Manchester United close to appointing new head of senior scouting | OneFootball

Manchester United are close to appointing Kyle Macaulay as their new head of senior scouting, a move that signals another major step in the club’s ongoing overhaul of its recruitment structure, according to reports from Sky Sports.

Macaulay, widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s most astute analytical minds, is in advanced talks to take up a pivotal role at Carrington, working alongside director of recruitment Christopher Vivell. The pair previously collaborated at Chelsea, and United believe their alignment in data-driven talent identification will be central to modernising the club’s scouting operation.

The 39-year-old’s career has long been intertwined with that of Graham Potter, whom he has followed to five clubs over more than a decade. Their partnership began at Östersunds in 2012, where Macaulay served as chief analyst during Potter’s transformative spell in Sweden. He then tracked Potter’s rise through Swansea, Brighton and eventually Chelsea, where Potter delayed signing his contract until Macaulay and other trusted staff members were secured.

While Potter’s sacking in 2023 ended that particular chapter, Macaulay’s stock continued to rise. His most recent spell at West Ham, again alongside Potter, ended last month, leaving him free to pursue a standalone role for the first time in his career.

United view this appointment as a cornerstone of their recruitment rebuild. Macaulay’s reputation for rigorous, data-led scouting, blending analytics with traditional assessment, aligns closely with the club’s renewed transfer strategy, which aims to bring greater clarity and coherence to squad planning after years of inconsistency.

GFN | Finn Entwistle