Christopher Vivell

Christopher Vivell

Christopher brings plenty of transfer expertise and would be tasked with helping United target the right profile of player and also help with actually signing them as well.

Christopher is a former striker who played in the lower levels of German football during a 10-year professional career. In his teenage years he played for Post Südstadt Karlsruhe, FC Germania Forst, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim before moving to home town club Karlsruher SC, where he made his senior breakthrough. He went on to have spells with ASV Durlach, SV Spielberg, FV Graben and Ettlingenw. II. After his contract with Ettlingenw. II came to an end in 2015, he retired from playing at the age of just 28.

After Christopher playing career came to an end, Vivell rejoined former club Hoffenheim as an analyst and then as a scout. After five years in those roles he joined RB Salzburg as head of scouting and then moved into the role or sports coordinator. During his time at Salzburg, Vivell was labelled ‘the Haaland discoverer’ by German outlet Sport1 after he convinced the Norwegian starlet to join them over many high-profile clubs. Christopher then joined RB Leipzig as technical director before becoming their squad planner. Vivell joined Chelsea as technical director in December 2022 before leaving Stamford Bridge in July 2023 amid their own sporting restructure under directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley. The likes of Patson Daka, Enock Mwepu, Mohamed Camara, Benjamin Sesko and Haaland were all signed by RB Salzburg during Vivell’s time at the club. When he was at RB Leipzig they signed Josko Gvardiol, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Simakan. Enzo Fernandez and Benoit Badiashile both signed for Chelsea during his short spell at Stamford Bridge.

Director of Recruitment

Manchester United’s full-time Director of Recruitment, anchoring global scouting, youth talent ID, and transfer strategy. He sits within the new INEOS-led football hierarchy—reporting to Jason Wilcox—and is empowered to reshape Old Trafford’s approach to player recruitment.

• Overseeing Global Recruitment & Scouting
  Vivell leads the worldwide recruitment operation, including the scouting network and identification of emerging talent—particularly younger players

• Reporting Structure
  He reports directly to Technical Director Jason Wilcox, working closely with United’s broader football operations team

Manchester United

Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United or simply United, is one of the most iconic and successful football clubs in the world. Based in Manchester, England, the club was founded in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR Football Club and changed its name to Manchester United in 1902. Since then, it has grown into one of the most widely supported and financially lucrative football clubs globally. United’s home ground is Old Trafford, which has a capacity of over 74,000 spectators, making it one of the largest stadiums in the United Kingdom. The club’s traditional colors are red and white, and the team’s emblem features the iconic Red Devil, symbolizing its fierce and competitive nature on the field.

Throughout its illustrious history, Manchester United has amassed a plethora of domestic and international trophies. The club has won the English top-flight league title, now known as the Premier League, a record 20 times, along with numerous FA Cups, League Cups, and UEFA Champions League titles. Under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, who led the team from 1986 to 2013, United enjoyed unparalleled success, dominating English football and conquering Europe. The club has been home to some of the greatest footballing talents in history, including Bobby Charlton, George Best, Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney, among others.