Manchester United-linked Paolo Maldini opens up on plans for future

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 02 December 2023

Man United-linked Paolo Maldini opens up on plans for future

AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini says that he would "evaluate the offer of a high-profile foreign team" amid suggestions that Manchester United want him as their new football director.

Paolo Maldini has revealed that he would "evaluate the offer of a high-profile foreign team" amid suggestions that Manchester United are considering appointing him as their new football director.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is widely expected to complete a 25% purchase of the club before Christmas, with the British billionaire set to pay around £1.3bn to come on board as a minority shareholder.

Richard Arnold has already left his role as CEO, while the positions of current football director John Murtough and director of football operations David Harrison are in severe doubt.

A recent report claimed that Maldini was an option to move to Man United as part of Ratcliffe's changes, with the 55-year-old available following his departure from AC Milan over the summer.

The Italian has ruled out ever moving to another Italian side, but he has said that offers from 'high-level foreign teams' would be considered, while he is also open to potentially moving to Saudi Arabia.

Italy's Paolo Maldini pictured at Euro 1996 © Reuters

"For my job, the alternatives to Milan are very limited. I could never go to another Italian team, possibly I would only evaluate the offer of a high-level foreign team," he told La Repubblica.

"I like winning and building. [Saudi] Arabia could be a stimulating option, who knows."

Maldini, who represented Milan's first team between 1984 and 2009, also hit out at his former club for their decision to dismiss him as technical director - a position he had held since 2019.

The ex-centre-back is believed to have played a leading role in the signings of Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud, Fikayo Tomori and Mike Maignan, while Milan won the 2021-22 Serie A title during his time in a leadership position, but a disagreement with club owner Gerry Cardinale led to him leaving.

General view outside San Siro in 2015

"Cardinale told me and [Ricky] Massara (Milan's former sporting director) that we were fired. I asked him why and he told me I had a bad relationship with [the CEO Giorgio] Furlani. So I said: 'Did I ever call you to complain about him?' I never did," he said.

"In a year I had only one chat with him [Cardinale] and got four messages. He said we should trust each other. I trusted him. We all know how that went.

"I believe that the decision to fire Massara and me had been made many months before. And in hindsight I am forced to reconsider the relationship with some people who worked with me and who certainly, I find it difficult to imagine otherwise, were already aware of that decision.

"I said it that same day, before my leave: today you are in charge, but please respect Milan's history."

Atalanta BC's Lee Congerton and Atletico Madrid's Andrea Berta are also believed to be under consideration for the role as football director at Man United, in addition to Crystal Palace's Dougie Freedman.