Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of Jason Wilcox as technical director after reaching an agreement with Southampton, where he had been working as the director of football.

Wilcox, 53, will start the role "with immediate effect" after the Championship club "reluctantly agreed" to let him leave.

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Former United midfielder, Darren Fletcher, who has been technical director since 2021, is set to stay on at Old Trafford as part of the football leadership team.

A statement issued by the club on Friday said: "Jason Wilcox has joined Manchester United as technical director with immediate effect.

"He will work with all technical areas of the football department to achieve the highest standards of performance.

"Jason was previously director of football at Southampton and before that academy director at Manchester City. As a player he won the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers in 1995."

Wilcox will report to the sporting director, set to be Dan Ashworth. Ashworth is currently on gardening leave from Newcastle United but sources have told ESPN that an appointment will be made "in due course."

Wilcox is the second major appointment since Sir Jim Ratcliffe's minority stake in the club was confirmed.

Omar Berrada, previously at Manchester City, is set to take up the role of CEO in the summer. Berrada knows Wilcox well from their time together at the Etihad Stadium.

United announced last week that football director John Murtough has left, paving the way for Berrada, Ashworth and Wilcox to run football operations at United.