Man United’s new energy construction revealed and who calls the photographs now after main shake-up – plus the candidate impressing Arsenal chiefs in sporting director search: THE SAMI MOKBEL COLUMN

Manchester United are advancing in their efforts to finalise a new-look executive team which will see Jason Wilcox’s powerbase at the club extend.

Following the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has empowered chief executive officer Omar Berrada to build a new-look senior administrative team, with those plans now moving forward.

There had been internal discussions over replacing Ashworth with another external candidate onto the executive team – though any new hire would not be given Ashworth’s title of sporting director. But it is understood a decision, at least for the time being, has been made not to make any new appointments.

Instead, Wilcox – while maintaining the title of technical director – will assume an enhanced remit and will work closely alongside Berrada at the coalface of United’s daily operations.

Alongside Wilcox and Berrada, Ineos director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford will represent the ownership to make up a three-man football leadership team.

Meanwhile, Mail Sport understands Christopher Vivell, who joined the club in July as the interim director of recruitment, is now in talks over taking up a permanent position at United. There is some optimism that an agreement can be reached with Vivell in the coming weeks.

It can also be revealed that chief operating officer Collette Roche will be handed additional responsibilities at the club’s Carrington training centre. Her enhanced role is designed to allow Wilcox to focus more on the performance aspects of his role rather than the operational and logistical running of the club’s training HQ on a day-to-day basis. 

Leading contender to replace Edu emerges

Arsenal’s acting sporting director Jason Ayto has growing internal support to take on the role permanently.

Ayto has taken on Edu’s responsibilities since the Brazilian left his role in November, as exclusively revealed by Mail Sport, and is making quite an impression behind the scenes at the club.

The club’s ownership are said to have been impressed with Ayto’s work since his appointment on an interim basis and is viewed as a genuine contender for the vacancy.

The position has emerged as one of the most sought-after job’s in European football given the impressive project Mikel Arteta has built. Bayer Leverkusen’s Simon Rolfe and Real Sociedad sporting director Roberto Olabe are among the candidates being considered, while Dan Ashworth and Tomas Rosicky have also been linked with the role.

Edu is currently undertaking a period of gardening leave, believed to be six months, before taking up an expected global role with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ portfolio of clubs.

City make progress on Khusanov

Manchester City are making positive progress in their move for Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

The Premier League champions have a concrete interest in the 20-year-old centre back and are in discussions over a deal to sign the Uzbekistan international this month.

Talks currently centre around Lens’ £35million valuation of Khusanov but there is growing optimism that a deal for the highly rated defender is realistic this month.

City are also trying to tie up a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush.

Next steps for Bentancur after worrying collapse

Tottenham medical staff will make regular home checks on Rodrigo Bentancur over the coming days following his worrying on-pitch collapse on Wednesday night.

Bentancur will not be permitted back to the club’s training HQ until he is given the medical green light to return, while he recovers from the concerning incident in the first half of the 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Bentancur fell to the floor with no one around him in the first half causing huge concern for his health, and was taken to hospital for thorough medical examinations before returning home on Wednesday night.

He has provided a positive update on social media since the incident, posting a photo of himself with his fiancée Melany La Banca with a message that read: ‘All good, guys! Thank you for the messages!!! Congratulations for the victory boys!!!’

Chelsea’s Chalobah-Guehi masterplan

Chelsea’s plan to use Trevoh Chalobah as a makeweight in a deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi could stumble over wages.

Mail Sport revealed this week that the Stamford Bridge club want to sign England centre back Guehi this month as they seek to cope with Wesley Fofana’s latest injury setback, which could rule the Frenchman out until the end of the season.

Chelsea are interested in a swap deal involving Chalobah, who is currently on loan at Selhurst Park, and their former academy star Guehi.

Palace, who are unwilling to let Guehi leave cheaply this month despite the fact he has just 18 months left on his contract, would prefer a straight cash deal for their skipper.

But even if the Eagles would consider Chalobah as part of any departure for Guehi, it is understood there is some doubt that Palace would even be able to agree a salary package with him.

Chalobah’s wages are said to be at around £80,000 a week and while that is possible in Palace’s wage structure there is doubt over whether they could afford more if the player angles for an increase when moving clubs. Palace are open to signing Chalobah on a permanent deal but would rather that did not involve Guehi.

Tuchel ‘hugely impressed’ by Enfield HQ 

England head coach Thomas Tuchel was ‘hugely impressed’ with a whistle-stop a tour of Tottenham’s training centre on Saturday morning.

As Mail Sport revealed last week, Tuchel’s first scouting assignment as national team boss was Spurs’ 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime.

And the German visited Spurs’ Enfield training HQ before making his way to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the Premier League encounter.

While St George’s Park, in Burton, is England’s usual training base during international breaks, England often use Tottenham’s state-of-the-art facility in the lead up to matches at Wembley.

Tuchel officially began his new job as England boss on January 1, and one of his first jobs was to check out the facilities at Spurs, accompanied by England’s technical director John McDermott, who was previously Tottenham’s academy director.

Former Chelsea manager Tuchel was given special access to the club’s training and media facilities as well as the on-site hotel – The Lodge – where his players and staff will be staying between matches.

Investors seek funding for Palace move

Sportsbank officials will fly to the Middle East in the coming days with a view to wrapping up their deal to become controlling partners in Crystal Palace.

In October, Mail Sport revealed investment vehicle Sportsbank’s offer to take part-control at the Selhurst Park – and it was confirmed on Wednesday that they have entered into an exclusivity agreement to invest £230million into American businessman John Textor’s Eagle Holdings Limited that owns 45 per cent of the south London club.

Sportsbank executives are due to travel to various parts of the Gulf to consolidate the financial investments that will fund the investment into Textor’s company.

It is hoped the deal, including ratification from the Premier League, can be wrapped up by the start of next month.

Reports have indicated that Sportsbank face competition from a Saudi-based consortium who want to purchase Textor’s stake in Palace outright, rather than invest into Eagle Holdings.

In that scenario, there would be major doubt over whether Sportsbank would continue with their commitment to Eagle, because their plan to invest into Textor’s company is on the proviso that Palace remain under the businessman’s umbrella of clubs.

West Ham’s contingency plans 

West Ham were confident Christophe Galtier and Paulo Fonseca would have accepted their head-coach role if their move to appoint Graham Potter had been unsuccessful.

Potter has been appointed as the Hammers new head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui on Thursday.

But Mail Sport has learned that deals in principle were agreed with both Galtier and Fonseca if Potter, the club’s clear first-choice, declined the opportunity.