A key figure has made the switch to Manchester United from one of Jim Ratcliffe's other major sporting investments and is already making an impact on recruitment at Old Trafford
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo playing for Manchester United during a pre-season friendly at Old Trafford
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are the big-money arrivals at Old Trafford so far this summer
(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
The recruitment team at Manchester United has been given a boost by the arrival of a key former ally to Lewis Hamilton. Michael Sansoni spent more than a decade working in Formula 1 for the Mercedes team and contributed to eight team's championships and six of the seven titles won by Brit Hamilton.
An enormous amount of data is collected and analysed at every single F1 race and Sansoni has a wealth of experience when it comes to deciphering it. During his time at Mercedes, he rose to the position of performance engineer working specifically with Hamilton.
But he left the team, which is one-third owned by Jim Ratcliffe through is INEOS petrochemicals company, earlier this year for a move to the British billionaire's flagship investment. Sansoni has been confirmed as the club's new director of data.
"Reporting to Omar Berrada, chief executive, Sansoni will be responsible for transforming the club's capabilities in data and artificial intelligence, drawing on his experience in machine learning and advanced modelling in Formula 1," a club statement read.
"He has been tasked with establishing Manchester United as a data-led organisation, embedding predictive and AI-driven decision-making across football and the wider club. To support these objectives, further recruitment is planned into a number of data, software and platform engineering roles in the coming months, as Sansoni builds out his team."
And it seems their new recruit has begun in earnest. In a post on social media site LinkedIn, Sansoni suggested that two of Man United's major summer signings so far, forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo who cost the Old Trafford club a combined £133.5million, were identified as a result of his data-led efforts.
He wrote: "I am very lucky to have had not just one, but two dream jobs. After a phenomenal time in Formula 1, it is a privilege to now be part of the biggest club in world football.
"Over the past few months, we have already made meaningful progress. With new methodologies starting to take shape and two fantastic signings, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, already reflecting some of that early work.
"I have inherited a brilliant team: smart, committed, and hungry to make a difference and together we are building a world-class data and AI function to power decision-making across football and the wider club. The challenge is great, but so is the opportunity."
Man United have also added Benjamin Sesko this summer, signing the striker from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to £74m. And they have been heavily linked with a swoop for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba who would also command a significant transfer fee, should the Seagulls be willing to sell.
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