Man Utd announce former Liverpool coach as new deputy football director

Manchester United have appointed one of Jurgen Klopp's former fitness coaches at Liverpool as their new deputy football director.

As part of a behind-the-scenes shake-up at Old Trafford, Andy O'Boyle will work under John Murtough in a bid to help new manager Erik ten Hag bring back the glory days. The Northern Irishman will leave his role as Head of Elite Performance at the Premier League to join the Red Devils this summer. O'Boyle also has history at United, working with the likes of Marcus Rashford in the academy.

"We are delighted to welcome Andy back to Manchester United to take up this important role in the club's leadership," Murtough declared in a statement. "Andy has experience across all technical areas of football, from fitness and sports science to scouting and recruitment.

"This will make him a valuable addition to my team at Carrington as we continue to strengthen leadership and strategic planning across all our football activities."

O'Boyle added: "I am thrilled to be rejoining Manchester United at such an exciting time for the club, as the first team prepares for a fresh start under Erik ten Hag, and the Academy and women's teams go from strength to strength. Whilst it has been a privilege to serve the Premier League for the past five years, I can't wait to get started at United and play my part in creating the right environment for football success."

Ballymena, Northern Ireland, the ex-Liverpool coach enjoyed a brief spell within the Red Devils' academy in 2006, working to help develop nine and 10-year-olds back. That was prior to a role with Wrexham's first-team before going on to become head of sports science at Coventry City. O'Boyle then joined Liverpool in 2011, where he rose to first-team fitness coach and worked with England's under-21s.

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He is due to complete his UEFA Pro Licence over the coming weeks and is also working towards a doctorate, having already achieved a Masters degree in sports science.

New CEO Richard Arnold recently gave an update on United's plans for their new era led by Ten Hag and Murtough, telling a Fans Forum: "It has clearly been a disappointing season for the men's first-team. Work is well underway to address this, led by our Football Director, John Murtough and our new manager, Erik ten Hag.

"Resilience and high standards are core values for Manchester United, and we are determined to achieve better results next season and beyond. Faith in youth is another key tenet of the club and the continued success of our Academy gives us confidence in the future."