Southampton issue fresh response to Manchester United’s interest in Jason Wilcox

Southampton manager Russell Martin has played down Manchester United’s interest in poaching the club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, insisting he has been told “there is absolutely nothing” in the ongoing reports.

As part of the new football structure Sir Jim Ratcliffe is trying to build at Old Trafford, the Ineos chief is keen on recruiting Wilcox to work alongside Dan Ashworth, who is also on the club’s radar. United want the latter to become their inaugural sporting director.

Ashworth, who is currently sporting director at Newcastle United, is understood to be keen on a switch to Old Trafford, but United are prepared to wait to appoint him after baulking at Newcastle’s £10million price tag. Wilcox is admired by Ratcliffe and members of Ineos after he worked closely with Omar Berrada at Manchester City.

But despite United being keen on poaching City’s former academy director, who has worked at Southampton since July last year, Saints boss Martin is not currently concerned about the Reds’ desire to bring him back up north. “I spoke to Phil Parsons [Southampton CEO] this morning [Friday] and to Jason Wilcox yesterday [Thursday] and I have been told there is absolutely nothing in it by both of them,” said Martin, as quoted by the Southern Daily Echo. “I think that’s all I have got to say about it really.

“If anything else on it happens in the meantime then obviously I will have other opinions. Jason was the big driver in the ownership group appointing me so he is either really brave or really crazy, we’ll see.

“I have loved working with him and hopefully that will be for quite some time yet” he said.