The switch comes as Sir [Jim Ratcliffe](/topic/jim-ratcliffe), who became a minority owner at United in February 2024, looks to reshuffle the club’s hierarchy.
United endured a dismal season, falling to 15th in the Premier League and losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final.
The Times reports that Brailsford will now become director of sport for the wider INEOS group, which also controls Ligue 1 side OGC Nice and Swiss side FC Lausanne-Sport, also dealing with Mercedes AMG F1 Team and INEOS Grenadiers cycling team, among other sporting ventures.
Brailsford’s step back is intended to hand more space to chief executive Omar Berrada and his team.
Jason Wilcox, currently United's technical director, will reportedly be named director of football and will bear the cross of overhauling Ruben Amorim’s ailing squad.
Brailsford stepped down as team principal of Ineos Grenadiers when Ratcliffe purchased his stake in United in order to take on a role at the club.
Geraint Thomas, winner of the 2018 Tour de France, is also expected to take on a leadership role in the reshuffle when he retires from cycling in September.
Brailsford, 61, has overseen a major overhaul of United's operations, including a £50million redevelopment of the Carrington training ground. He also played a key role in the due diligence phase of INEOS’ investment in the cub.
Ratcliffe has scaled back some of Ineos's sporting commitments, terminating its sponsorship of the New Zealand rugby team and ending his bid to win the America's Cup.
However, Ratcliffe remains committed to the cycling team, who no longer hold the dominant position they did when winning the Tour de France in seven out of eight editions between 2012 and 2019.