In a surprising development that few could have predicted, Manchester United are reportedly in advanced talks to bring a high-level performance engineer from Formula One into their football setup. The move is part of a broader plan by INEOS, the minority shareholders of the club led by billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, to revolutionize how the Red Devils operate behind the scenes — particularly in the areas of data science, performance optimization, and recruitment.
The man in question is Michael Sanso, a senior performance simulation engineer who currently works with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, the team that has won the Constructors’ Championship eight times in the last decade. According to a report by Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail, Sansoni is being lined up for a critical role at Old Trafford as INEOS pushes for structural and scientific changes to catch up with more modern football clubs
INEOS became a minority stakeholder in Manchester United in 2023, when Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% stake in the club. From the start, Ratcliffe made it clear that his mission was to bring about serious reform in how United is run — from recruitment and data analysis to medical and sports science departments.
INEOS already placed Sir Dave Brailsford a renowned performance mastermind in the world of cycling, into a key position at United. Brailsford is best known for transforming British Cycling and Team Sky (now INEOS Grenadiers) into the most dominant forces in the sport through his “marginal gains” strategy. Now, United is hoping the addition of Sansoni will further push this revolution forward.
Michael Sansoni may not be a household name in football, but in the high-pressure, highly technical world of Formula One, his work is incredibly valuable. At Mercedes-AMG Petronas, he is responsible for performance simulation engineering — essentially using advanced data, models, and technology to simulate how the F1 car should behave under different conditions and setups.
In simple terms, Sansoni uses physics, engineering, and complex computer simulations to ensure that the cars driven by George Russell and rising star Kimi Antonelli are at peak performance during every race. His work is critical in decision-making — from tire strategy to fuel management to aerodynamic setup.
He holds a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Southampton, which shows the level of expertise he brings to his work. Now, if the reports are correct, he may soon be applying that same level of detail and precision to a very different kind of machine — the Manchester United football team
Clubs like Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford have become leaders in using data science to find undervalued talent, track player development, and even shape game plans. By using predictive analytics, performance tracking, and biometric data, these smaller clubs have punched well above their financial weight in the Premier League. Manchester United, despite being one of the richest clubs in the world, have fallen far behind in this area. Their recruitment over the last decade has been heavily criticized, with several high-priced signings failing to perform. Ratcliffe believes that to fix this, United need not just better scouts — but better systems.
“We must have the best recruitment in the world. Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here. There’s immense amount of useful data that we can get from data analysis and we’re in the ‘very poor’ bracket. These things don’t happen overnight.” That honesty may have shocked some fans, but it was also refreshing. Ratcliffe and his INEOS team aren’t just promising changes — they are acting on them. Hiring Sansoni would be another major step in modernizing the club.
While the exact role Sansoni would play at Manchester United has not been officially confirmed, experts believe he would likely be working in a data and performance analysis capacity possibly as part of the recruitment or sports science departments.
Support recruitment** by analyzing data from potential transfer targets If used correctly, this kind of expertise could help United avoid expensive transfer flops, reduce injury rates, and ensure players are performing at their best — all critical for a team that wants to return to the top of English and European football
Bringing in Michael Sansoni is not just a one-off decision — it’s a sign that Manchester United under INEOS is moving in a very different direction. For years, United has been criticized for being outdated in the way the club is run. From transfer decisions to training methods, many fans and analysts have argued that United has failed to modernize while rivals like Manchester City and Liverpool have surged ahead.
INEOS appears determined to change that. In addition to Brailsford and potentially Sansoni, United have also been linked with other key hires behind the scenes, including Dan Ashworth, formerly of Brighton and Newcastle. There’s a clear pattern: bring in the best minds from various fields — not just football — to give United the edge. This is similar to how successful clubs in other sports operate. For instance, Liverpool famously partnered with a neuroscience company to improve penalty taking. Manchester City’s City Football Group uses a global network of data and coaching resources to maintain consistency across their teams worldwide.
By bringing in someone like Sansoni, United are essentially saying: *We want to be the smartest club in football, not just the richest. As expected, the news has caused a stir online. Some fans are excited by the ambition shown by the INEOS group, while others are cautious, wondering how someone from outside football can make a real difference.
“Football is changing,” Neville said on The Overlap. “Clubs that embrace new ways of thinking are moving forward. You need experts from outside the bubble. If you stay stuck in the past, you get left behind.” That statement perfectly sums up what United are trying to avoid. The club has already spent more than a billion pounds in the last 10 years — with very little to show for it. If hiring a performance engineer from Formula One can help fix some of those problems, then maybe it’s a risk worth takin
The potential arrival of Michael Sansoni at Manchester United might seem unusual, even strange to some. But in today’s world of elite sport, success is often found not just on the pitch, but in the data labs, training facilities, and behind closed doors where strategy meets science.
If INEOS’s vision works, this could be the beginning of a new era for Manchester United — one where every detail matters, every decision is backed by science, and every edge is maximized. For fans who have been desperate to see the club return to its former glory, this might just be the revolution they’ve been waiting fo
