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Man Utd: Ranking the 10 best transfers Christopher Vivell will be hoping to replicate at Old Trafford

Erling Haaland, Christopher Vivell and Benjamin Sesko

Christopher Vivell has made some great signings in his career

Manchester United are looking to improve their business in the transfer market and have appointed Christopher Vivell as their director of recruitment.

Vivell initially joined the club on a short-term basis last summer and will now lead United’s global recruitment operation after signing a multi-year contract.

The 38-year-old has held previous roles at Hoffenheim, Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig and Chelsea, working as a scout or a technical director.

We’ve taken a look at 10 of the best transfer success stories from his career ahead of a big summer transfer window for United.

10. Amadou Haidara

After starting his career at Mailian side JMG Academy Bamako, Haidara was scouted and signed by Red Bull Salzburg in 2016 at the age of 18.

The midfielder initially played for their feeder club – FC Liefering – in the Austrian second division before becoming a first-team regular in the 2017/18 season.

He won two Austrian Bundesliga titles and his impressive performances led to sister club RB Leipzig snapping him up in a €19million deal in January 2019.

9. Noah Okafor

Red Bull Salzburg spent a then-club record fee of €11.2million to sign Okafor from Swiss side FC Basel in January 2020.

The winger justified that fee by registering 34 goals and 23 assists in 110 appearances, helping Salzburg to four Austrian Bundesliga titles and three Austrian Cups.

He was linked with several clubs in Europe’s top leagues before joining AC Milan for a fee in the region of €15million in the summer of 2023.

8. Mohamed Simakan

Having worked his way up through the Red Bull system, Vivell was appointed as the technical director at RB Leipzig in August 2020.

He identified Simakan as an ideal replacement for Dayot Upamecano and agreed a €15million deal with Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg.

The centre-back won two DFB-Pokal titles and a DFL-Supercup in Leipzig before completing a €45million move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in 2024.

Mohamed Simakan and Dominik Szoboszlai

7. David Raum

Raum enjoyed a brilliant debut season at Hoffeinheim in 2021/22 and was linked with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, West Ham and Newcastle United.

But RB Leipzig won the race for his signature after agreeing to pay an initial €26million and another €4million in potential add-ons.

“David has developed brilliantly in the past two years and established himself as a regular for club and country during his first season in the Bundesliga,” Vivell said after completing the deal.

“He’s quick, dynamic, can strike the ball and is extremely dangerous from set pieces and crosses.”

The Germany international has since made over 100 appearances for the club and is widely regarded as one of the best left-backs in the Bundesliga.

6. Patson Daka

One of three strikers on this list, Daka joined Red Bull Salzburg from Zambian club Kafue Celtic in January 2017 at the age of 18.

He initially played for FC Liefering and also for Salzburg’s underage team, with Daka scoring in their 2017 UEFA Youth League final win over Benfica.

The Zambia international went on to register 68 goals and 27 assists in 125 appearances for their first team, helping the club win four Austrian Bundesliga titles and three Austrian Cups.

He also picked up the Austrian Bundesliga Player of the Season award in 2020/21 before being sold to Leicester City for a €29.7million profit.

5. Karim Adeyemi

Red Bull Salzburg fought off competition from Chelsea to sign Adeyemi from German third-tier side SpVgg Unterhaching in 2018.

The then-16-year-old – who cost €3.35million – spent two years on loan at FC Liefering before establishing himself in the first-team squad in 2020.

He registered 20 direct goal contributions in the 2020/21 season before following that up with 23 goals and eight assists in 2021/22.

The winger returned to Germany in the summer of 2022 and joined Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth a reported €38million.

4. Dominik Szoboszlai

Szoboszlai was snapped up from Hungarian side Fonix Gold, and he made his Red Bull Salzburg debut at the age of 17 following a loan spell at FC Liefering.

The midfielder helped the club to league and Austrian cup doubles in 2018/19 and 2019/20, with his form during the second of those campaigns earning him the Austrian Bundesliga Player of the Season award.

After Vivell moved to RB Leipzig in August 2020, he brought the Hungary international with him and sanctioned a €20million deal.

Szoboszlai continued to impress in Germany and Liverpool triggered the €70million release clause in his contract in 2023.

3. Josko Gvardiol

A few eyebrows were raised in September 2020 when RB Leipzig shelled out €18.8million on Gvardiol, who had made less than 20 first-team appearances for Dinamo Zagreb.

But the gamble paid off as the centre-back lived up to his potential in Germany and helped the club become back-to-back DFB-Pokal winners.

The Croatia international also starred at the 2022 World Cup before joining Manchester City in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth €90million.

He is the most expensive sale in RB Leipzig’s history and the second-most expensive defender of all time after Harry Maguire.

2. Benjamin Sesko

Despite having offers from Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax, Sesko decided to sign for Red Bull Salzburg in 2019.

“Benjamin has a true eye for goal and, despite his height, is technically gifted and mobile,” Vivell said in 2022. “His qualities make him a unique and special player.

“I’ve known Benjamin since he was 15 and was able to convince him to come to Salzburg in 2019. Since then, I’ve followed his development closely and have seen every goal that he’s scored.”

Sesko spent two seasons on loan at FC Liefering before replacing Daka in the Salzburg first-team, and he registered 29 goals and 11 assists in 79 appearances.

The 21-year-old made the move to RB Leipzig at the end of the 2022/23 season and is now one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe.

1. Erling Haaland

Haaland was being tracked by some of Europe’s biggest clubs during his time at Molde, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recommending him to United.

But Vivell – who was labelled ‘the Haaland discoverer’ by German outlet Sport1 – was able to bring the striker to Red Bull Salzburg in a £7million deal in August 2018.

“The big clubs wanted him too,” Vivell said. “But they wanted to do a loan program, which neither his father nor Erling wanted. That’s why we managed to bring him to us.”

The Norway international notched an impressive 29 goals in 27 appearances for the club, with eight of those goals coming in the Champions League.

He helped Salzburg win two Austrian Bundesliga titles and an Austrian Cup before Borussia Dortmund triggered the €20million release clause in his contract in December 2019.

READ MORE: The FIVE Man Utd players out of contract in 2026: Keep or sell?

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