To be successful in Football Manager, you need to build a top-tier staff. One staff role that is vital to your success is the director of football. These are the ones who can take on many of the responsibilities that many FM players don’t like to handle.
They can sign players, recruit staff, and more, taking the hassle away from a manager so they can concentrate on what is happening on the pitch.
A good director of football can make or break your FM26 save. However, who are some of the best directors of football in the game?
Txiki Begiristain (Free agent)
When it comes to people to fill the director of football role, there are few in the business who are better at the job than Txiki Begiristain. Having enjoyed a highly successful playing career with Real Sociedad and, most notably, Barcelona, he stayed in football behind the scenes.
After a short role on Spanish TV, Begiristain became the director of football at former club, Barcelona, in 2003. He oversaw a glorious spell in the club’s history, including Pep Guardiola’s trophy-laden spell, before moving to Manchester in October 2012, fulfilling the same role he had in Catalonia. The 60-year-old left the Citizens in July 2025.
The fact that he is now a free agent makes him an attractive target to clubs looking for a top director of football. As you would expect from such an accomplished football figure, his stats are excellent. The highlights include an outstanding rating for determination, judging player ability, judging player potential, and judging staff ability.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, for most clubs, Begiristain is a hard man to nab, as he will only join elite clubs. If you are an elite club and need a top director of football, it is a no-brainer to bring in the Basque.
Dan Ashworth (Free agent)
Surprisingly, Dan Ashworth finds himself a free agent, despite being regarded as one of the best in the business for the director of football role.
Before becoming a director of football, Ashworth was in the Norwich City academy, followed by a short stint in non-league football. While still playing, Ashworth began coaching, which eventually led to his first role in 2007 at West Brom.
Highly regarded, Ashworth then took on the role of director of elite development at the English FA in 2012 and moved to change things behind the scenes by helping to create the “England DNA” initiative.
He has since worked at Brighton, Newcastle, and Manchester United, demonstrating his knowledge and expertise across many of his roles.
It is not surprising that Ashworth’s stats on FM26 are high. The 54-year-old’s best stat is elite for judging player potential. His only outstanding stat is people management. However, he has very good ratings across almost all his other scouting stats, except adaptability, which is still rated good.
Like the first one on our list, Ashworth is very picky about which jobs he takes on. Unless you’re an elite club, he is unlikely to join. If you can persuade him to join, he will undoubtedly be a fantastic appointment.
Andres Pardo (Leganes)
The 44-year-old Spaniard is less well known than some of his contemporaries on our list, but he has the potential to become a highly talented director of football.
Pardo has been working in a staff capacity since earning a scouting role at Villarreal in 2009. He then moved on to be the head of youth development, firstly at Levante, before returning to Villarreal in the same role.
In 2021, he made a big move to Real Madrid as a recruitment analyst. However, in 2025, he became the director of football for the first time, as he joined Leganes.
Pardo’s stats on FM26 certainly fit those of a highly talented director of football. His highest rating is outstanding for judging player ability. However, he also has very good ratings for determination, motivation, people management, judging player potential, and judging staff ability.
The good news is that, unlike some of the names on our list, Pardo isn’t just open to joining elite clubs. He will be open to joining clubs below that bracket. Appointing Pardo as your director of football could be a shrewd move.
Paul Mitchell (Free agent)
Although Mitchell has earned a fine reputation as a director of football or sporting director, he began his football journey as a player. He started at Wigan as a youngster in 2000, before playing for numerous clubs, including Halifax, Swindon and MK Dons.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, his playing career was cut short in 2009, after he had sustained numerous injuries, including fractures to the tibia, fibula and ankle.
However, in 2010, Mitchell began his first role in football, as head of recruitment at MK Dons under Karl Robinson. In 2012, he moved to Championship Southampton, once again in a similar role to the one he had occupied with the Dons.
His big break came in 2014, though, when he moved to Premier League Tottenham. Mitchell played a part in acquiring some players who would become key to Spurs’ future, including Dele Alli and Son Heung-min.
It was his work in north London that established Mitchell as a rising star in the game. He has since had spells at RB Leipzig and Newcastle, the latter of which he left in the summer of 2025 after agreeing to leave by mutual consent. He had only joined the club in July 2024.
His stats are strong on FM26. His strongest attribute is outstanding in judging player potential. However, he is also rated very good in motivating, determination, judging player ability and judging staff ability.
There is good news when it comes to bringing in Mitchell, as he seems open to offers from most Premier League-level clubs, even if the club is not at an elite level. That means you can snap up an impressive director of football without paying any compensation.
Who is your favourite director of football on FM26?
