Ed Woodward leads Manchester United's current transfer strategy

Manchester United are still looking to appoint a technical director but the new role is unlikely to affect the club's transfer policy this summer.

An appointment was expected to be made in time for the new arrival to be a part of the club's plans for the current transfer window but with player recruitment already underway, there is no sign of when United might have their first technical director.

Former United players including Darren Fletcher and Rio Ferdinand have been linked to the position, but it is unclear just what the roles and responsibilities of the candidate will be.

United will not be following the traditional protocols associated with other clubs who employ technical directors - where they are 'the glue' within their organisation and someone whose powers and influence are commonly wider than those of the manager.

The current structure of the club, led by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, sees a small team of advisers working alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his assistant Mike Phelan to pinpoint potential signings and also decide on outgoings.

That structure successfully identified and secured the services of United's first summer acquisition, 21-year-old Welsh international Daniel James.

It is unlikely the arrival of a technical director will spell any changes to how transfer business is conducted at Old Trafford.

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The emphasis on this summer's recruitment is being firmly placed on securing young home-grown talent including targets such as Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Whoever finally comes through the doors in the new role will be charged with providing a long-term view in relation to the development of the first-team squad over the next five years, something amounting to evolution rather than revolution at Manchester United.

Rio: It depends on the shape of the job

Ferdinand is interested in becoming United's first technical director but said the role has not yet been defined by the club.

Rio Ferdinand is on Manchester United's technical director shortlist

"It all depends on the shape of the job," he said. "I don't think it's all been outlined at Man United in terms of 'that's the job and this is the description'. I think there's a lot to talk about within that.

"To be fair to Man United, in that kind of role, the responsibility that comes with that, you can't lie and say that that's not a turn-on.

"Because you are helping to shape the fortunes of a club of that stature. That's a huge job.

"All the boxes would have to be ticked that you've got in your head before considering something like that.

"I think decisions made at a football club - not all (but) some of them - should come with a football thought process in the background somewhere, (someone) that understands that side of it and can make that kind of decision."