Ed Woodward lines up Edwin van der Sar as director of football to help secure transfers for Manchester United

Ed Woodward lines up Edwin van der Sar as director of football to help secure transfers for Manchester United, according to the Mirror.

If a deal were to be agreed, it would make the Dutchman the first director of football at the Red Devils, a club that has always relied on a strong relationship between manager and Chief Executive to secure transfers.

In the era of Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill, there was never a need for such a role, but in recent years the Manchester club has come under scrutiny for their transfer dealings, especially Woodward.

United Chief Executive Ed Woodward is keen to bring in a director of football.

The acquisition would certainly take some pressure away from the current Chief Exec, and please the fans who loved the shot-stopper at his time at Old Trafford.

The Goalkeeper joined United from Fulham in 2005 and won ten trophies including four Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Woodward will have to persuade Edwin to leave his current role at boyhood club Ajax, where he has masterminded a return to their former glories, reaching the Champions League semi-finals last season.