The Red Devils are reeling from Tuesday's chastening 4-0 defeat at rivals Liverpool, where the chasm in quality between the clubs was clear from the outset.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick said after the match that United needed as many as 10 new players to order to close the gap and a shake-up to the recruitment team was announced the following day.

The 20-time English top-flight champions are sixth in the Premier League standings, 22 points off leaders Liverpool, despite hundreds of millions of pounds spent on the current squad.

They will finish this season trophyless for a fifth successive campaign, while it will be nine years since their last league triumph.

Chief scout Lawlor has decided to end his long association with the club and Bout, who came to Old Trafford as part of Louis van Gaal's backroom team in 2014, has also left.

A club spokesperson said: "Jim Lawlor has decided to step down from his role as chief scout in the summer after 16 years with the club.

"During that time, Jim played a key role in the development of multiple trophy-winning Manchester United teams and was an important source of guidance to Sir Alex Ferguson and each of the managers who have followed him.

"Jim leaves the club with our warmest thanks for his significant contribution and our very best wishes for the future.

"Marcel Bout has departed from his role as head of global scouting after eight years with the club.

"A respected figure within and outside of Manchester United, Marcel has played an important part as an assistant coach and in the strengthening of our scouting capabilities in recent years.

"Marcel leaves the club with our warmest thanks for his significant contribution and our very best wishes for the future."

Former United defender Gary Neville responded to the news by writing on Twitter: "Not quite sure we're going to see a revolution. Jim has been marginalised for years so this won't shift the dial."

with Reuters

Australian Associated Press