Manchester United promote Wilcox to Director of Football
Written by
Ian Westbrook
June 5, 2025
Jason Wilcox has become the new Director of Football at Manchester United.
Wilcox, who joined United from Southampton in April 2024 as the club’s new Technical Director, replaces Dan Ashworth, who left Old Trafford last December after only five months in the role.
The former winger helped Blackburn win the Premier League in 1995 and was capped three times by England, before starting his coaching career at Manchester City.
He joined them as an Academy coach in 2012, before becoming Under-18s Lead, Head of Academy Coaching and, in 2017, their Academy Director.
Wilcox worked with United’s Chief Executive Omar Berrada at City, when he was their Chief Operating Officer, and will be reporting to him at Old Trafford. This reflects Wilcox’s wider responsibilities with the departure of Ashworth and also Sir Dave Brailsford’s decision to step back from his day-to-day involvement with the club.
Brailsford is staying on United’s board as a Director and remains a crucial link between the club and its ownership, as INEOS Director of Sport.
Wilcox joined Southampton as Director of Football in the summer of 2023.
He has moved into Ashworth’s role, which is overseeing the whole football operation at the club, including recruitment, analysis, the Academy, data science, performance and medical as well as both the men’s and women’s senior sides.
Ashworth had joined United in July 2024 after nearly five months of negotiations over his departure from Newcastle United.
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