MU team doctor 'expected to join' rival EPL club after exit of head of medicine

Manchester United's team doctor is reportedly 'expected to join' a Premier League rival in another blow to the club's backroom staff.

Jim Moxon will leave the club along with head of sports medicine Gary O’Driscoll, with the former said to be keen to pursue opportunities elsewhere.

The departures are not thought to be related to the latest round of job cuts at Old Trafford or the high number of injuries in the first-team, per The Daily Telegraph.

O’Driscoll’s exit is a huge surprise after he left Arsenal after 14 years to join United in September 2023 and was described as ‘one of the most experienced and respected leaders in sports medicine’.

Sources say that he has decided that now is the right time to step down, having driven a series of positive changes across the medical department and laid the foundations for further improvements.

Lisandro Martinez and Amad Diallo are likely to be out for the rest of the season while Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans are also sidelined.

It is understood that the two medics will remain in their roles during a transitional period to ensure there is no interruption in medical support for the players while United launch a search for replacements.

The news comes after Man United confirmed in February that up to 200 more jobs could be lost as part of the latest savage cost-cutting by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.

Staff were given the bad news by chief executive Omar Berrada and chief operating officer Collette Roche.

The redundancies will be in addition to the 250 jobs lost in the initial cuts made by Ratcliffe and Ineos last year.

'The new raft of changes will see more staff move from Old Trafford to Carrington to create a streamlined, football-orientated workforce operating out of the training ground which is currently undergoing a £50m upgrade.

United confirmed reports that staff will no longer enjoy free lunches at the canteen at Old Trafford and instead be offered fruit – a move that will save £1m-a-year.

Catering arrangements will remain the same at Carrington for the rest of this season, but then change to a 'differentiated offering between staff and players'.