Ipswich Town will worry Man Utd switch is only the start of key departures
Manchester United made the announcement ahead of their Premier League fixture with Aston Villa
Ipswich Town have enjoyed an excellent campaign upon their return to the Championship, but their success could come with some setbacks.
Kieran McKenna’s side are vying for the automatic promotion places in the division and hoping to end their 22-year absence from the Premier League.
But it was announced on Friday that head of recruitment Sam Williams has left the club to join Manchester United following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of the club, with several changes throughout Old Trafford set in motion.
Manchester United announce the arrival of key Ipswich Town figure
Manchester United have appointed Williams, who returns to Old Trafford after leaving in April 2022, as their new lead scout for the 17-21 age group as part of their overhaul of academy scouting.
He joins the club from Ipswich, where he has been working as the club’s head of recruitment, most recently alongside former United coach McKenna.
According to The Athletic, Williams’ appointment was led by United’s director of academy Nick Cox and director of scouting Steve Brown and is part of a series of changes that have been made in the scouting department within the academy dating back to last year.
The overhaul of scouting at academy level is something Cox and Brown have been working on for a while and pre-dates the Ineos’ investment into United, and it comes just days after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford met with academy staff to give a presentation on how key they see the academy being for the future of the club.
Williams had previously held academy recruitment roles at Sheffield Wednesday and Bolton Wanderers. United see the appointment of someone well-versed in academy football but with experience as head of recruitment at a Championship club as a coup
Sam Williams’ Ipswich Town signings
Since Williams’ arrival at the club, he has overseen several transfers at Portman Road as their road to the Premier League continues to gather pace.
In January, they added four players to their ranks to bolster their hopes of promotion, welcoming the loan signings Lewis Travis, Jerry Sarmiento, and Kieffer Moore, and the permanent signing of AFC Wimbledon striker Ali Al-Hamadi, who caught the eye in League Two.
A number of intergal players to Ipswich’s success this season were made to happen by Williams, including Leif Davies’ transfer from Leeds United, and George Hirst’s arrival from Leicester City, while also maintaining his previous connection with Manchester United by welcoming Brandon Williams on loan and Axel Tuanzebe on a permanent transfer.
