diff --git a/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs b/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
index edc0f3e..d7c5e1e 100644
--- a/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
+++ b/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
@@ -682,6 +682,24 @@ pub trait CoreAccess: Send + Sync {
     /// Replace the active squad's canonical slots + opaque extension atomically.
     fn replace_squad(&self, req: &CoreReplaceRequest) -> Result<CoreReplaceResult, CoreError>;
 
+    /// The owned instance id assigned as the active squad's **manager**, or
+    /// `None` (`GET /club/manager`). Default: `None` — a transport without the
+    /// endpoint simply projects no manager (non-fatal, like an absent
+    /// assignment). The production `HttpCoreClient` overrides it.
+    fn get_squad_manager(&self) -> Result<Option<String>, CoreError> {
+        Ok(None)
+    }
+
+    /// Assign (`Some`) or clear (`None`) the active squad's **manager**
+    /// (`PUT /club/manager`). Default: unimplemented — the production
+    /// `HttpCoreClient` overrides it; a transport that cannot persist the
+    /// assignment MUST fail loudly rather than silently drop it.
+    fn set_squad_manager(&self, _owned_card_id: Option<&str>) -> Result<(), CoreError> {
+        Err(CoreError::Parse(
+            "Core squad manager write is not implemented".into(),
+        ))
+    }
+
     fn list_sbcs(&self) -> Result<Vec<CoreSbcDefinition>, CoreError> {
         Err(CoreError::Parse(
             "Core SBC access is not implemented".into(),
@@ -821,6 +839,41 @@ impl CoreAccess for HttpCoreClient {
         })
     }
 
+    fn get_squad_manager(&self) -> Result<Option<String>, CoreError> {
+        let url = format!("{}/club/manager", self.base_url);
+        let resp = self
+            .client
+            .get(&url)
+            .header("X-OpenFUT-Game", &self.game)
+            .send()
+            .map_err(|e| CoreError::Http(e.to_string()))?;
+        let status = resp.status().as_u16();
+        if !(200..300).contains(&status) {
+            return Err(CoreError::Status(status));
+        }
+        let v: Value = resp.json().map_err(|e| CoreError::Parse(e.to_string()))?;
+        Ok(v.get("manager")
+            .and_then(|m| m.get("owned_card_id"))
+            .and_then(|x| x.as_str())
+            .map(str::to_string))
+    }
+
+    fn set_squad_manager(&self, owned_card_id: Option<&str>) -> Result<(), CoreError> {
+        let url = format!("{}/club/manager", self.base_url);
+        let resp = self
+            .client
+            .put(&url)
+            .header("X-OpenFUT-Game", &self.game)
+            .json(&json!({ "owned_card_id": owned_card_id }))
+            .send()
+            .map_err(|e| CoreError::Http(e.to_string()))?;
+        let status = resp.status().as_u16();
+        if !(200..300).contains(&status) {
+            return Err(CoreError::Status(status));
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn list_sbcs(&self) -> Result<Vec<CoreSbcDefinition>, CoreError> {
         let response = self
             .client
@@ -1839,6 +1892,15 @@ fn project_active_squad(deps: &SquadDeps<'_>) -> HostProjection {
             is_on_bench: s.is_on_bench,
         })
         .collect();
+    // The ownership-backed manager assignment (Core `squad_managers`). A fetch
+    // error or absent endpoint yields no manager — non-fatal, a squad renders
+    // without one, never fabricated.
+    let manager = deps
+        .core
+        .get_squad_manager()
+        .ok()
+        .flatten()
+        .and_then(|id| owned_by_id.get(&id).cloned());
     let input = SquadProjectionInput {
         fifa_squad_id: ACTIVE_SQUAD_WIRE_ID,
         name: read.name,
@@ -1846,6 +1908,7 @@ fn project_active_squad(deps: &SquadDeps<'_>) -> HostProjection {
         slots,
         ext: SquadExtInput::Fresh(ext),
         owned: &owned_by_id,
+        manager,
     };
     match project_squad(&input, deps.resolver, deps.entities) {
         Ok(SquadProjection::Projected(v)) => HostProjection::Squad(v),
@@ -1932,6 +1995,18 @@ pub fn handle_put_squad(body: &[u8], deps: &SquadDeps<'_>) -> (WireResponse, Squ
             );
         }
     }
+    // The manager is a resolved, owned assignment too: authorize it like a slot.
+    if let Some(mgr) = &build.canonical.manager_owned_card_id {
+        if !owned_set.contains(mgr) {
+            return (
+                error_response(403, "not_owned"),
+                SquadLog {
+                    outcome: "unauthorized_manager",
+                    detail: mgr.clone(),
+                },
+            );
+        }
+    }
     // Commit canonical + extension atomically. No Python fallback on failure.
     let req = CoreReplaceRequest {
         name: build.canonical.name.clone(),
@@ -1956,22 +2031,37 @@ pub fn handle_put_squad(body: &[u8], deps: &SquadDeps<'_>) -> (WireResponse, Squ
         ext_schema_version: EXT_SCHEMA_VERSION,
         ext_payload: build.extension.to_payload(),
     };
-    match deps.core.replace_squad(&req) {
-        Ok(_) => (
-            json_response(&save_ack(put.id)),
-            SquadLog {
-                outcome: "ok",
-                detail: String::new(),
-            },
-        ),
-        Err(e) => (
+    if let Err(e) = deps.core.replace_squad(&req) {
+        return (
             error_response(502, "core_error"),
             SquadLog {
                 outcome: "core_error",
                 detail: e.to_string(),
             },
-        ),
+        );
     }
+    // Persist the ownership-backed manager assignment (migration 0023). It was
+    // authorized above and Core re-validates club ownership; fail loudly on a
+    // transport error rather than silently dropping the manager.
+    if let Err(e) = deps
+        .core
+        .set_squad_manager(build.canonical.manager_owned_card_id.as_deref())
+    {
+        return (
+            error_response(502, "core_error"),
+            SquadLog {
+                outcome: "manager_error",
+                detail: e.to_string(),
+            },
+        );
+    }
+    (
+        json_response(&save_ack(put.id)),
+        SquadLog {
+            outcome: "ok",
+            detail: String::new(),
+        },
+    )
 }
 
 /// `GET …/squad/list` — served from Core + the ONE projector. Stale/Missing are