Firstly, it must be pointed out Jason Wilcox is going nowhere.

Manchester United sources say the 55-year-old is not in any danger of losing his job.

The club's recruitment department is working on potential targets for January given it is accepted the strategy of not signing left-back competition for Luke Shaw and striking support for Benjamin Sesko was flawed.

Unlike other major footballing countries on the continent, there is no expectation for sporting or technical directors to speak to the media.

Wilcox's only extensive interview since he was appointed in April 2024 has been with United's in-house media, when a couple of answers stood out.

"I am a coach at heart," said the former Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United winger, who spent several years working in coaching at Manchester City's academy.

"I am a coach inside, even though I know I have a different job now. That is a strength in my role, but it also causes me a bit of a problem because I always want to interfere in what the managers are doing."

Wilcox has only spoken briefly to the media after matches on a couple of occasions: after the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace last November, when he told journalists to "trust the process"; then again in Gothenburg after the pre-season encounter with Paris St-Germain when he enthused about the potential pairing of Youri Tielemans and skipper Bruno Fernandes.

Recruitment was praised in summer 2025, when Senne Lammens was signed ahead of Emi Martinez, who was Ruben Amorim's preference, and Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, plus Sesko, reinvigorated United's attack.

But the jury is out on the players acquired in the £155m summer outlay this year: Carlos Baleba, who missed the first six weeks of the season with injury; Andrey Santos, who has been an unused substitute in the past three Premier League games; and Tielemans, whose form has been patchy.

Sources have questioned the overall strategy, and specifically why Tielemans, who has a similar profile to England international Kobbie Mainoo, was signed, even for £35m, and if the £50m committed to Santos would have been better spent on someone who would be a first choice.