Man Utd transfers set to be guided by data revolution as club recruits for multiple job roles

A major data revolution is under way at Manchester United as the club make the bold claim their football data science department is “on a path to be the best of any sporting team globally”.

The Red Devils appointed Dominic Jordan as their first-ever director of data science last year, but he only began the role in March after working a long notice period at N Brown Group.

And the club are now in the process of recruiting to fill key roles in their expanded data team, including a number of data scientists, machine learning scientists and decision scientists who will be based at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground.

It is part of a bold plan to integrate data science into the daily work of the club’s football experts – a steep change from their previous approach to the field.

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Back in March, Jordan said he expected data to be “transformational” at Old Trafford. “The club is very much looking to be dominant in that space,” he wrote as he was named one of Data IQ’s most influential people in the field.

And there’s no doubt about the club’s commitment to improve in an area where they have been left behind by the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and even the likes of Brighton and Brentford, who were early data adopters and have developed a reputation for innovation.

The club’s job advert promises applicants the chance to work on “a set of high leverage, cutting edge projects which will have a huge influence on the future direction and success of the club”. The deadline is November 18 – with the hope of having many of the jobs filled by the new year.

Data will be integrated into decision-making across the men’s and women’s senior teams as well as the Academy, with recruitment one of the areas they could hold increasing sway over.

It is a fascinating development as Manchester United heavily invest in an area that has become the equivalent of football’s “arms race” lately.

Success will largely depend on whether the club can build a learning culture at the club’s training ground, with key football people open to working with data.

The early signs under Erik ten Hag have certainly been positive, with the Manchester United head coach not afraid to take on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo as he ploughs ahead with developing his own style of play.

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