Man United eye key Liverpool man as deputy director of football search ramps up

The Red Devils are undergoing a significant period of remodeling following the appointment of John Murtough as the club's director of football.

The plan is to also appoint a deputy to Murtough, a role that O'Boyle has been tipped for.

O'Boyle, who hails from Northern Ireland, is currently working as the head of elite performance for the Merseyside club where he formulates programmes and initiatives to enhance fitness.

With a varied skillset, the Liverpool man has held various roles within sports science, fitness coaching and first team coaching, as well as working in United's academy set-up in 2006 where he worked with nine and 10-year-olds.

He then enjoyed time working with Wrexham's first team.

The task facing Murtough, and whoever is appointed as deputy director of football, is huge, according to Darren Bent, who believes that the club needs wholesale changes.

He told talkSPORT's Drivetime: "The ones you keep are [David] de Gea, you keep Varane. You need a new right-back, I think.

"I don't think [Scott McTominay] is good enough but he's own of your own. Building-wise? Nope.

"I think Fred is a weird one because you have to say he's been one in the last few weeks who has gone, 'You know what? I'm up for this'. But I guess if you're trying to start against and build a successful side, he might have to go.

"You keep Sancho. Ronaldo has got to to go. [Edinson] Cavani has got to go. [Martial] has got to go.

"Rashford is the one where, if the new manager fancies him, there's something there. If he can get that best out of him then you keep him because he's young.

"[Pogba] is going to go anyway, he's on a free at the end of the season. If Manchester United have got any kind of aspirations [he should go].

"I love Pogba as a player, I really do, but Manchester United fans are becoming sick of saying, 'we're waiting for that consistency', so he'd have to go."

Meanwhile, Bent also said club captain Harry Maguire should be shown the door at Old Trafford, while Luke Shaw is someone they could potentially sell, too.

Asked how far Manchester United are away from just challenging for the Premier League title, the former striker replied: "Miles away.

"I said five years the other day but maybe eight years."