Manchester United have dispensed with the services of corporate lawyer, Tom Keane.
Keane, the brother of academy graduate Michael, was hired over the summer as a transfer specialist with experience in legal contracts.
The lawyer supervised the transfers of Casemiro and Antony at the club.
Initially, it was said it would be a temporary appointment, as the likes of former chief executive Ed Woodward and transfer chief Matt Judge have left, leaving a gap in experience regarding drafting contracts.
Then, in November, The Daily Mail reported that Keane’s appointment would become permanent.
However, despite talks taking place for that to happen, in the end Keane returned to his position at Brandsmiths, says The Athletic.
The Old Trafford position is therefore vacant once again and the club are looking to sign someone between now and the next transfer window in June.
“Keane has not been involved in United’s work in January, with agents making calls about potential targets referring to Murtough, his deputy Andy O’Boyle and head of recruiting operations Steve Brown,” reports The Athletic.
“His departure also indicates that United never expected to do a lot of business in the winter window.
“It was Murtough along with a group of lawyers and other recruiting personnel who completed the loan moves for Wout Weghorst and Jack Butland.”
Keane joins a number of backroom staff who have been moved by Murtough, who is beginning to show all the signs of being a difficult man to work with.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick was supposed to take on a consulting role after Erik ten Hag was appointed, but no mutually agreed solution could be found.
The club’s head scout Jim Lawlor and Marcel Bout, head of global scouting, among others, have also been transferred in recent months by Murtough.
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