Manchester United’s new technical director Jason Wilcox will establish a style of play blueprint that will be implemented at all levels of the club, according to the Sun.
The Red Devils’ co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe could part ways with manager Erik ten Hag this summer, and his successor will have to agree to work within Wilcox’s framework.
Ten Hag is also likely to be told to agree to it and the other four rules if he wants to remain in charge of Man United beyond this season.
Wilcox joined the Red Devils last month after over a year with Southampton as their director of football.
The 53-year-old was Manchester City academy director before joining the Saints and was also the head coach of their under-18s for four years prior to that, winning a national championship title and two FA Youth Cups.
Some clubs play the same style of football across their academy, youth teams and first-team, and it appears Man United want to follow suit.
However, whether Ten Hag or a new manager will agree to their demands of having Wilcox in charge of such a key area remains to be seen.
Ratcliffe also wants the new manager to agree to a recruitment model based on bringing in five new players under the age of 25 this summer. The Red Devils have no plans to sign big-money players either.
The manager will only be asked what positions he wants Man United to strengthen and not the players he wants.
The club will then find three players who fit the desired player and team model.
The manager will then be tasked with picking one of those three before the Old Trafford club make a concrete transfer move.
Man United want a head coach, not a manager, and Ratcliffe will hope his plans can get the Red Devils back to the top of English and world football once again.