Jim Ratcliffe kicks Man Utd transfer strategy up a notch as super agent meeting points to potential targets

Manchester United's new co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has reportedly met with super agent Jorge Mendes in a bid to overhaul the club's recruitment strategy.

Mendes represents a number of top players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Darwin Nunez and Pedro Neto, as well as former Man United boss Jose Mourinho. Ratcliffe is said to be keen on utilising Mendes' extensive knowledge in the transfer market, following his disappointment with what he perceives as a flawed and costly recruitment policy at Old Trafford.

The club also plans to bring in Dan Ashworth from Newcastle United as Sporting Director and Jason Wilcox from Southampton as Technical Director.Among the potential signings is Benfica midfielder Joao Neves, a Mendes client, who fits Ratcliffe's vision for young, ambitious players eager to make their mark. According to reports, United have also been linked with another Mendes client, AC Milan forward Rafael Leao, but with an asking price of around £100million his arrival is less likely than that of Neves.

Speaking earlier this month, Ratcliffe suggested his ambition wasn't simply to sign the biggest players. "It's not where our focus is," he said, reports the Mirror. The solution isn't spending a lot of money on a couple of great players. They've done that over the last 10 years."

"The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes who are managing and organising the club and make sure we get recruitment right. It's such a vital part of running a football club today, finding new players."