Antonio Cruz officially leaves Manchester United

Manchester United have rarely stood still over the past year, with constant movement both on and off the pitch becoming the new normal.

Since INEOS tightened their grip on football operations, the club has felt very different in tone, structure and priorities.

Decisions are being made faster, departments are being reshaped, and sentiment is no longer driving policy.

Efficiency, modernisation and cost control are now the buzzwords inside Carrington and Old Trafford.

And while the spotlight often shines on managers and players, some of the most significant changes are happening far from matchday headlines.

Those shifts have now claimed another long-serving figure behind the scenes.

After nearly two decades at Manchester United, respected international scout Antonio Cruz has officially departed the club as part of the ongoing internal overhaul under INEOS ownership.

His exit is another sign of just how deep the restructuring at Old Trafford has gone, with experience no longer offering protection in a club determined to reinvent itself.

United’s transformation has been sweeping.

Since INEOS assumed sporting control, Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and now Michael Carrick have all taken turns in the dugout, each bringing their own coaching staff and ideas.

Recruitment has followed suit, with a notable influx of players across multiple windows, while drastic changes have also been made behind the scenes.

Over 250 members of staff were made redundant as INEOS pushed to streamline operations, believing the club had become bloated and inefficient.

One of the most radical moves has been the overhaul of United’s scouting network.

Traditional boots-on-the-ground roles have been reduced, with greater reliance placed on data-led recruitment models and centralised databases.

That shift has inevitably led to the departure of scouts who had been fixtures at the club for years.

Antonio Cruz confirmed his exit himself in a heartfelt LinkedIn post, writing: “After 18 years at Manchester United as an International Scout, the time has come for me to close this important chapter of my career. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.”

The Spaniard joined United in 2007, a period that coincided with some of the club’s most successful modern years.

His primary responsibility was scouting for the first team in Spain and Portugal, markets that proved hugely influential for United over the years.

He also worked closely with first-team analysts whenever United faced Portuguese opposition in European competition.

Cruz’s tenure covered the arrivals of several notable names.

He was part of the scouting structure during the signings of Nani and Anderson from Sporting CP and FC Porto, while later deals such as Bebe and Diogo Dalot also fell within his remit.

However, his most significant contribution was undoubtedly his role in identifying and monitoring Bruno Fernandes, a signing that has since become one of United’s most impactful of the post-Ferguson era.

His departure underlines the reality of the new Manchester United: a club willing to cut ties with the past in pursuit of a leaner, more modern future. For better or worse, sentimentality no longer carries weight at Old Trafford.