From F1 to football: Man Utd to poach data analysis chief from Mercedes team as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to make key backroom changes

According to the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are looking to "turbo-charge the data analysis set-up at the club", and key figures are now looking towards Formula One for reinforcements. Sansoni's work within the sport as a senior performance simulation engineer has attracted their attention, and reports suggest that a senior data position at Old Trafford is on the horizon for the Mercedes man.

Data analysis is just one of several areas of the Manchester United operation that have been criticised by Ratcliffe since he joined as minority owner. Last year, he claimed "we've not been good enough at recruitment" and "we’re still in the last century on data analysis" while behind the scenes he's been directing a series of brutal mass firings that have reportedly "left children in tears".

Speaking to the Manchester United fanzine United We Stand, Ratcliffe recently spoke about the club's data department, saying "Until we're as good as anyone in the world, then it's not good enough for Manchester United. We must have the best recruitment in the world. Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn't really exist here. We're still in the last century on data analysis here. There's immense amount of useful data that we can get from data analysis and we're in the 'very poor' bracket with data analysis here. These things don't happen overnight."

Sansoni alone won't be able to turn around United's faltering data analysis department, so it's likely that more backroom appointments will be made in the coming months as Ratcliffe attempts to claw back United's status as one of England's greatest clubs. His rebuild has generated lots of attention but very few results so far, and time is running out for Amorim to salvage something positive from a disastrous 2024/25 campaign.