Sir Dave Brailsford is poised to take a step back from his role at Manchester United, marking a significant shift in the club's hierarchy under the direction of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. This reshuffle comes after Brailsford dedicated considerable time and energy to driving change at Old Trafford, following Ratcliffe's acquisition of a stake in the club in February 2024.

Brailsford, who previously served as the team principal of the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team, stepped down from that position to fully immerse himself in the footballing operations at Manchester United. He was instrumental in implementing changes desired by the new ownership, focusing on improving the performance setup and spearheading the £50 million redevelopment of the Carrington training ground. Despite the changes, Manchester United finished 15th, their worst Premier League finish, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham.

Under the new plans, Brailsford will return to his position as director of sport for the wider Ineos group. This move will allow him to oversee transitions in other parts of Ineos's sports portfolio and revive his focus on cycling. He is expected to assist the Ineos Grenadiers management team, led by chief executive John Allert and performance director Scott Drawer.

Ratcliffe's commitment to his cycling projects remains strong, even as he scales back on some of Ineos's other sporting investments. The company has ended its sponsorship of the All Blacks rugby team and has ceased its pursuit of the America's Cup.

As part of the reshuffle, Jason Wilcox, currently serving as Manchester United's technical director, is expected to be named the director of football. Furthermore, former Tour de France winner and Olympic champion Geraint Thomas is anticipated to take on a leadership role with the Grenadiers upon his retirement from cycling at the end of the year. Thomas, 39, has announced his retirement will be after the Tour of Britain in September.

Despite the changes in his role at Manchester United, Ratcliffe believes that Brailsford has been crucial in the positive transitions made at the club. The Ineos Sport's team unit, led by Brailsford, will also manage Ratcliffe's other football investment, Ligue 1 club Nice.

Since Ineos took over, Manchester United has experienced considerable upheaval in senior management. This latest reshuffle signifies Ratcliffe's ongoing efforts to optimize the club's structure and performance across all levels.