Manchester United have officially announced the appointment of Gary O’Driscoll as their new head of sports medicine.

With Arsenal for 14 years, O’Driscoll now moves to Old Trafford to be closer to family, stepping into a role that oversees the medical well-being of the men’s, women’s, and academy teams.

His arrival comes amid a period of medical scrutiny at Manchester United, highlighted by an injury crisis that left 12 players sidelined in a recent match against Bayern Munich.

The transition from Arsenal to Manchester United

O’Driscoll spent an extensive period at Arsenal before making the decision to depart this summer.

In 2020, he turned down an offer from Liverpool.

Known for his strong rapport with Mikel Arteta, O’Driscoll was often seen in medical briefings with coaching staff, as revealed in Arsenal’s All or Nothing documentary series with Amazon.

He will be familiar to Arsenal fans not only for his lengthy tenure but also his notable appearances in the club’s behind-the-scenes footage.

Manchester United’s recent medical challenges

O’Driscoll’s move to Manchester United comes at a pivotal time for the club, which has seen its medical department come under the spotlight.

Erik ten Hag‘s side currently faces a spate of injury-related issues, resulting in 12 players being unavailable for their midweek match against Bayern Munich.

The appointment was confirmed on the official Manchester United website, indicating the importance the club is placing on revitalising their medical department.

Departure of Steve McNally

The appointment also follows the exit of Manchester United’s former medical head, Steve McNally, who left the club last season after 17 years of service.

An interim had been overseeing medical responsibilities until O’Driscoll’s arrival.

Now, O’Driscoll is preparing for his new role, one that will be under close scrutiny given Manchester United’s injury crisis and their underwhelming start to the Premier League season, having lost three of their first five games.

A life-long Manchester United fan

While O’Driscoll has built his reputation through years of dedicated service at Arsenal, it has been revealed that he is a life-long Manchester United fan.

Arsenal’s replacement

Arsenal have not yet announced a replacement but the most recent reports claimed they were considering bringing Mark Gillett, the Premier League’s chief medical officer.

Gillett is among the potential candidates. In addition to his work with the Premier League, he also has considerable experience in English football, with stints at Chelsea and West Brom.