Ralf Rangnick wants to bring Manchester United’s director of recruitment Christopher Vivell to AC Milan
Ralf Rangnick is plotting a comprehensive structural overhaul at AC Milan and has placed Christopher Vivell, the Manchester United director of recruitment, at the top of his front-office wishlist. The recruitment specialist committed his long-term future to Old Trafford in February 2025, signing a full-time, multi-year contract following a highly impressive interim period guiding the INEOS-led sporting restructure. Consequently, the Red Devils view Vivell as an indispensable pillar of their rebuild
Following a tumultuous Serie A campaign that saw a mass exodus from Milan’s executive suite, including the departures of Giorgio Furlani, Geoffrey Moncada, and Igli Tare, the Rossoneri have turned to Rangnick to revive the club’s sporting fortunes. True to his reputation as a meticulous builder of football empires, Rangnick is making his potential arrival contingent on securing total systemic control and recruiting his most trusted operational allies. Vivell, who currently oversees global talent identification at Old Trafford, shares a deep professional history with Rangnick through their work in the Red Bull football network.
During their successful partnership in the Red Bull multi-club system, the duo established a blueprint for scouting modernisation, unearthing elite talents such as Erling Haaland, Benjamin Sesko, and Dayot Upamecano before they became household names. Rangnick sees Vivell as the ideal partner to overhaul Milan’s fragmented recruitment setup and implement a modern, data-driven infrastructure at San Siro. For AC Milan, supporting Rangnick’s pursuit of Vivell would represent a complete departure from traditional Italian recruitment models.
The Rossoneri ownership group, RedBird Capital, is keen to construct a sustainable, high-pressing sporting identity, and reuniting the masterminds behind the Red Bull philosophy is viewed as an ideal fast-track solution. Alongside Vivell, Rangnick is also seeking to recruit Southampton director of sport Johannes Spors, aiming to create a powerhouse multinational brain trust to steer Milan’s future transfer windows. Rangnick has reportedly set a definitive deadline for Milan’s hierarchy to approve his staff requests, leaving the decision squarely with Gerry Cardinale and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
