Jason Wilcox: Man Utd building selfless, hard-working team, not ‘Globetrotters’

"If I look at successful Man United teams, there were very functional players that would die for the badge and there were some mavericks," said Wilcox.

Jason Wilcox has opened up about his plans for Manchester United (Nick Potts/PA)

Director of football Jason Wilcox says Manchester United are building Ruben Amorim a selfless, hard-working team rather than trying to put “the Harlem Globetrotters together”.

The Red Devils limped home 15th in the Premier League last season – the club’s lowest top-flight finish since 1974 – and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham as pressure built on all connected to the club.

United’s squad have since undergone a refresh, with high-profile names like Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford leaving as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens arrived.

Amorim’s new-look side sit eighth in the standings, but just two points behind second-placed Manchester City, after summer business that Wilcox believes will help in their quest to return to the top.

Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens were among United’s summer arrivals (Martin Rickett/PA)

“It is so important (to sign the right characters),” he told the Inside Carrington podcast. “I think you have to bring players in that bring something different to the changing room.

“But the most important thing is that, whenever we bring in a player they have to want to improve, and they have to be a team player and understand what it means to be part of a successful team.

“It’s not about putting the Harlem Globetrotters together. If I look at successful Man United teams, there were very functional players that would die for the badge and there were some mavericks.

“You talk about (Eric) Cantona, but when you hear anybody talk about him he was an ultimate professional.”

It’s not about putting the Harlem Globetrotters together

Wilcox was full of praise for the four big-name signings, from the “plug in and play” forwards Cunha and Mbeumo to talented goalkeeper Lammens, who goalkeeping scout Tony Coton had been touting for a year.

The meticulous work required to shape the squad, in both the short and long term, is ongoing as United push to mark their 150th anniversary in 2028 with the Premier League title.

“Last year’s summer window was a lot more chaotic than this one,” Wilcox said.

“This one was really calm, we knew the plan, we knew which players we were going to target, we had our lists, we knew which areas of the pitch we needed to improve.

“These are continuous meetings with myself and Ruben, with (director of recruitment) Chris Vivell, with his team underneath, where we’re very clear on the profiles that we need. So the brief will come from myself and Ruben, it goes into Chris.

Manchester United are working together to improve things (Simon Peach/PA)

“A lot of debate and discussion around the profiles of what we need, and then the scouts will go into the market, we will combine that with the data team and there will just be constant dialogue.

“Right now, I’m having weekly meetings with the recruitment team on the different profiles, the age bracket, the cost. Are they attainable? With Ruben as well, so it is a really joined-up approach.

“When we sign a player, there are so many people that are involved in the process. The data team are involved in the process and we will then focus all our attention on certain players.

“It’s really important then that we do the background checks on whether they are clean-living professionals.”