Manchester United have undergone one of the biggest behind-the-scenes transformations in the club’s modern history, with GIVEMESPORT understanding INEOS has introduced a significantly revamped recruitment structure since taking control of football operations.

Multiple sources have outlined how the Red Devils‘ transfer department now operates, with technical director Jason Wilcox holding ultimate authority over football recruitment decisions following a collaborative process involving recruitment, scouting, data analysis and negotiations.

The new model represents a major departure from the structure that oversaw recruitment at Old Trafford for much of the previous decade, with responsibility now spread across several specialist departments before final decisions are made.

How United’s recruitment process works

GIVEMESPORT understands the process begins by identifying the position or player profile the club is looking to strengthen.

From there, Christopher Vivell and his recruitment team take the lead in identifying suitable targets and gathering detailed information on players from across world football. Recruitment assessments are supported by reports from the club’s scouting network before discussions move to the next stage.

United’s data department also plays an important supporting role throughout the process. Rather than driving recruitment decisions, sources indicate data is primarily used to help build longlists, filter potential targets and provide additional analysis as discussions progress.

Kyle Macaulay oversees the club’s senior scouting operation, with his department feeding into the wider recruitment process alongside Vivell’s team.

Potential targets are then ranked and narrowed down before a final shortlist is agreed internally.

While the process is collaborative, GIVEMESPORT understands Wilcox has the final authority over football recruitment decisions.

Another key figure is director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves, who is understood to play a major role in managing relationships with agents and leading negotiations with clubs. Sources describe Hargreaves as having been involved in a number of successful negotiations in recent years, making him an integral part of United’s transfer operation.

Recruitment department has changed dramatically

The current structure bears little resemblance to the one that existed only a few years ago.

INEOS have overseen a substantial overhaul of the recruitment department, with the arrivals of Vivell, Macaulay and Director of Data Michael Sansoni among the most significant appointments as the club has modernised its football operation.

The changes have also coincided with the departures of several long-serving recruitment figures who played central roles under the previous structure.

Former head of scouting Steve Brown, technical chief scout Mick Court and head of recruitment analysis Mark Platt were all key figures in shaping recruitment strategy for much of the previous decade, while Dominic Jordan also held a senior role within the club’s data operation.

Elsewhere, experienced scouts Marcel Bout, Jim Lawlor, Simon Wells and Jose Mayorga have all departed as part of the wider changes behind the scenes.

The result is an almost entirely refreshed recruitment department compared to the one in place three years ago. While supporters naturally focus on who Manchester United sign each transfer window, the club’s biggest transformation has arguably taken place away from the pitch, where a modern, collaborative recruitment structure has been built to shape transfer decisions for years to come.

Sandro Tonali wants to ‘honour his word’ and sign for Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to reports in Italy.

Spurs have been heavily linked with a move for the Italian midfielder this summer, with the Lilywhites seeing an initial bid of £75million rejected by Newcastle United. The Lilywhites are even understood to have made a bizarre second bid for the Magpies midfielder, which was no higher than their initial bid. It was obviously rejected once more.

GIVEMESPORT understands that Tottenham plan on going back to Newcastle with another bid, with the Magpies looking for a total package of £100million to sanction a deal.

Tonali gets huge pay increase at Tottenham

via Reuters

According to Sky Sports Italy, Tonali has already “said yes” to Spurs with personal terms agreed for the 26-year-old to make the move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer. Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla claims that Tonali will increase his Newcastle salary, which was for £8million-a-year to between £12million and £13million in N17.

The north Londoners need to come to an agreement with Newcastle over the fee and how it will be paid. GIVEMESPORT understands Spurs are willing to stretch to £85million with potential add-ons on top of that, which could convince Newcastle to sell.

Tottenham face plenty of competition for Tonali’s services, with Manchester City understood to be very interested in the player. City have been working on a deal to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116million, with add-ons taking that figure past the £125million British transfer record Liverpool paid Newcastle for Alexander Isak last summer.

But City are keen to sign Tonali as well. Manchester United and Arsenal have also been named as interested parties, but Tonali has reportedly given his word to countryman Roberto De Zerbi that he will sign for Spurs this summer.

Speaking on his Caffe di Marzio podcast, Italian football journalist Gianluca di Marzio said that Tonali is “determined to honour his word to Roberto De Zerbi” that he will sign for Tottenham.

​​​​​​​Spurs in talks for a number of big-name signings

Tottenham’s owners are keen to back De Zerbi in the transfer market this summer, with four new signings already through the door. Three have arrived on free transfers – Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi – with Jan Paul van Hecke signed in a £52million deal.

GIVEMESPORT understands that Spurs want to make a ‘statement signing’ this summer and they are in talks, not only with Tonali, for upto £100million, but with West Ham over a move to sign Mateus Fernandes too. The Hammers star would cost upwards of £80million, meaning both players would break Spurs’ club transfer record were they to sign.

Wimbledon is set to start on the 29th of June 2026 for 13 days of tennis action on the fabled grass courts.

Iga Swiatek is the current women’s singles champion, with the famous accolade constituting her 25th WTA Tour win. The Polish player is earning a lot of recognition on the court for her achievements, but is also receiving attention for another reason, which many female tennis players have to contend with: her beauty.

In the history of women’s tennis, there have been many females who have been considered, not only talented tennis players, but also great beauties.

Beauty in Women’s Tennis Isn’t Uncommon

Maria Sharapova was no stranger to this, with her blonde hair, green eyes, and athletic legs receiving many admiring glances. Anna Kournikova was the same, with her appearance making her one of the best known tennis players worldwide.

At the peak of her fame, Kournikova’s name became one of the most common search strings on Google Search due to fans searching for images of her, and she was named on People’s 50 Most Beautiful People in 1998.

Despite never winning a singles title, the Russian became a household name and cemented her celebrity status by marrying Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias and appearing in one of his music videos.

It was Wimbledon where a cheeky spectator asked the German tennis player Steffi Graf to marry him in the middle of her semi-final match with Kimiko Date. The proposal and Graf’s iconic response asking how much money he had has lived long in the sport’s memory, but it wouldn’t have happened without Graf’s beauty and undeniable skill on the court. Graf won 22 Major women’s singles titles and is the only player, male or female, to have won each major singles tournament at least four times to make a quadruple career Grand Slam.

However, last year’s Wimbledon introduced a new beauty to the scene; Canadian tennis player and model, Carson Branstine, who was making her debut.

Carson Branstine the Latest Tennis Beauty

She impressed in qualifying by defeating former US Open champion and her childhood friend Bianca Andreescu to earn her spot in her first Grand Slam main draw.

The 25-year-old was named Wimbledon’s ‘most beautiful debutant’ at the time and came up against the world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka is also considered to be attractive, but the Belarusian admitted that her first impression of Branstine was that she was ‘so beautiful’ and ‘super pretty’, labelling her before their match as ‘the beautiful girl.’

Geoff Burke via Reuters

Branstine lost 6-1 in the opening set before fighting back spiritedly in the second, falling by a respectable 7-5 scoreline in the second to exit the tournament.

However, beauty doesn’t always pay the bills, and Branstine has described her financial troubles as a lower-ranked WTA player.

Carson Branstine’s Financial Struggles

While she was transitioning from college tennis to the professional ranks, she worked as an Uber Eats delivery driver to earn some money to combat her expensive ambitions in tennis.

Speaking to Telegraf.rs, the American-born player said: “When you play ITF tournaments and finance your own life as a young athlete, everything is very expensive. I live in Southern California, and just filling up the tank was seriously draining my bill.”

Geoff Burke via Reuters

Her struggles hit home just before a tournament, as she revealed: “I remember one morning, a couple of weeks before I played my first WTA final in Cancun, I looked at my account balance and only had $26 (£19). I thought about how I’m going to finance myself for the tournament now.”

This was without the support of her parents, and Branstine decided something needed to be done.

Modelling Has Helped Her Tennis Career

Her fortunes have since changed as she now has financial support from her modelling career, signing with an agency and working with fashion, fitness, and skincare brands. She also received around £66,000 for featuring at Wimbledon in 2025, but she continues to model and genuinely enjoys it.

She said: “I love being in front of the camera during a shoot. It’s fun, I love fashion. It’s been one of the reasons I’ve been able to pay for some of my trips.

She does, however, accept that in both modelling and tennis she has been noticed for the way she looks and that there are pitfalls to this, saying: “I wasn’t signed by these agencies because of my tennis, it was for my look. Modelling and tennis are weirdly similar, you’re an object a lot, and people sometimes forget you’re a person too.”

Fans hoping to see Branstine grace the courts in London this year will be sorely disappointed, as she picked up an injury at the Australian Open which has ruled her out, but she won’t be resting on her laurels and will come back stronger to fulfill her tennis dreams again, so she shouldn’t be forgotten about.