Manchester United have removed senior INEOS official Jean-Claude Blanc as a director, instead confirming a new role for one of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s closest aides.

Blanc has been chief executive of INEOS’ sporting arm since he was appointed to the board of directors at Old Trafford, alongside Sir Dave Brailsford, following Ratcliffe’s buy-in last year.

The Frenchman, formerly chairman of the board at Juventus, will continue to be involved in the running of United, but now in an advisory role.

“Jean-Claude Blanc has stepped down from his position as a director of Manchester United, however he will continue to have an active role in the management of the club in his new position as Chief of International Football Relations and Special Adviser to the board,” a statement confirmed.

Amid more structural changes at Old Trafford, the club are reported to be taking on Michael Sansoni in a senior data role, having identified such analysis as an area to strengthen. Sansoni has made his name in Formula 1, working with Mercedes, which is one-third-owned by INEOS.

The Daily Mail writes that the move has the blessing of Mercedes, with senior officials at United believing that Sansoni’s skills and experience in data analysis from F1 are transferrable.

Ratcliffe has previously described United as still being in the “last century” over data analysis. “United completely missed the data revolution,” the British billionaire sighed, “which Brighton and Brentford didn’t, which Liverpool didn’t either.

“Liverpool had Ian Graham analysing data between 2012 and 2023. They brought in Jurgen Klopp and they had Michael Edwards as sporting director and Graham, who is the genius in football on data analytics.”

“Graham was the forerunner and United missed out,” Ratcliffe continued. “We’re still missing out, because we still don’t have data analysis at United.”