MANCHESTER UNITED have been told they must wait a year to appoint Jason Wilcox unless they up their compensation offer.
The former Blackburn winger, 53, dramatically resigned from his role as director of football at Southampton on Monday in order to force through a move to Old Trafford.
Man Utd had angered the Saints by offering a year’s salary as compensation to the Championship club.
Sources at Southampton claim the Red Devils were only given permission to speak to Wilcox on the condition that their offer would be far more generous.
Wilcox has a 12-month notice period which Southampton are determined to stick to unless Man Utd return with an improved compensation offer.
The ex-academy director at Manchester City is viewed as a key part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Old Trafford rebuild alongside incoming director of football Dan Ashworth and chief executive Omar Berrada.
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United are also involved in a dispute over compensation with Newcastle to release Ashworth from his lengthy gardening leave at St. James Park.
Southampton have not only been frustrated by the compensation offer for Wilcox, but also the timing of the approach.
The Red Devils want Wilcox, who spent 11 years with rivals Man City, to start work immediately but the Saints are nearing the end of a promotion push with just eight games of their Championship season left.
They sit fourth, 12 points adrift of second-place Leeds with two games in hand.
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News of Wilcox’s exit broke within an hour of their crucial game at Ipswich Town on Monday, which Kieran McKenna’s side won with a last minute goal to all but end Southampton’s hopes of automatic promotion.
Owners Sport Republic, who have made significant changes to the footballing structure at St. Mary’s since last season, were reluctant to lose Wilcox just months before what will be a pivotal summer window.
After United’s initial approach was rejected out of hand, Wilcox made the decision to resign.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
