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As the world awaited confirmation Manchester United had sacked Louis van Gaal, the desperate Sky Sports News updated their viewers with the news United had not tweeted in seven hours, which was apparently 'a record length of time' the club account had gone without making a post.

Like United's millions of followers, Sky yearn for updates on their rolling news channel. It partly explains their sensationalist and inaccurate reporting of Jose Mourinho's appointment, when one correspondent stated in late April he was in talks with Paris Saint-Germain (he wasn't) and, six days before Van Gaal was dismissed, the Sky Sports News Twitter account stated it was 'likely' Van Gaal would stay (the tweet was deleted). Even last week, they attempted to confirm Mourinho's appointment before the club did.

United's Twitterati might mock Sky Sports News and their infamous sources, but they are kindred spirits. Both factions want things to be true so badly it is occasionally a struggle to see through the bulls**t. Some 'fans' seem to celebrate transfers more than trophies.

Take Nicolas Otamendi last year. United made it clear they had no interest in the Argentinian defender and this message was faithfully reported, yet it didn't stop tweeters from retaining him as their avatar or abusing journalists who insisted he would not end up at United.

This year, the clamour is for a sporting director. Thousands of United supporters online have decided the club needs one and Monchi, Sevilla's director of football, wants to leave the Europa League winners but has a £3.8million buyout clause and is contracted to them until 2020. It's a perfect storm energised by English Spanish-speakers adept at regurgitating reports by Spanish newspapers on Twitter, the retweets rise, it goes viral and sections of the British media report United's interest as fact. Transfer 'specialists' with huge followings also muddy the waters, championed by their fanboys.

READ MORE: Ibrahimovic speaks out on possible United transfer

The fact is United have never been interested in appointing a director of football. A report in February claiming changes were underway to marginalise Ed Woodward's role as executive vice-chairman were quickly denied and Jose Mourinho's arrival has not changed the club's outlook.

Mourinho is set to enjoy greater autonomy at United than he did at Real Madrid, where he ousted general director Jorge Valdano after a year. His fraught relationship with Michael Emenalo , the nephew to Roman Abramovich's Don Fanucci at Chelsea, was another reason for United not to create a new role to support Mourinho.

United are comfortable with the current structure in place ahead of the summer transfer window and there is no indication they will turn to Monchi, Atletico Madrid's Andrea Berta, or any other director tenuously linked with the club.

John Murtough, recently confirmed as United's new head of football development, was at Carrington on Monday to meet Mourinho and accompanied him during Woodward's tour of the club's training complex. The club has confirmed his new role is not a directorial appointment, though.

A measure of Woodward's workload can be gauged by the number of individuals who report to him. Murtough reports to club secretary John Alexander, whom jointly oversaw the running of United's academy following Brian McClair's departure until Nicky Butt's February appointment, and Alexander reports into Woodward, as do scouts.

United's scouting network is expected to undergo a shake-up over the coming months as part of the academy's revamp. United are intent on reinforcing their academy structure, having seen City's development of the City Football Academy, while Everton's network of scouts are widely regarded as superior than United's. Scouts at other clubs are believed to have contacted United offering their services.

Mourinho will have the final say on signings based on the analysis he receives. However haphazard United's activity in the transfer market has been since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, the structure is described as 'fundamentally the same one' as when David Gill was overseeing negotiations with the Scot and, with Mourinho's managerial presence, United's activity should be calmer. Woodward does not solely negotiate deals, either. Murtough and head of corporate development Matt Judge collaborate with him.