diff --git a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs
index d818b2f..3a2e680 100644
--- a/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs
+++ b/openfut-adapter-fifa17/tests/squad_projection.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@
 //! ```
 //!
 //! Fidelity is asserted by ownership class:
-//!   CANONICAL  player instance per index, formation, captain, bench split
-//!   EXTENSION  custom, kicktakers, manager, kit numbers (by player), squadType
+//!   CANONICAL  player instance per index, formation, captain, bench split, and
+//!              the ownership-backed manager assignment (migration 0023)
+//!   EXTENSION  custom, kicktakers, kit numbers (by player), squadType
 //!   SHADOW     chemistry/rating/starRating (client-reported, round-tripped as-is)
 //!   DERIVED    correct FIFA 17 item identity (wire id + resourceId)
 //!
@@ -146,6 +147,9 @@ fn project_put(
         slots,
         ext: SquadExtInput::Fresh(extension),
         owned,
+        // This stand-in supplies no owned manager; the manager is projected from
+        // the ownership-backed assignment, exercised in persisted_read below.
+        manager: None,
     };
     match project_squad(&input, ident, &NoEntities).unwrap() {
         SquadProjection::Projected(v) => v,
@@ -194,9 +198,11 @@ fn baseline_projects_the_known_squad_round_trip() {
         projected["captain"], 100000001,
         "captain is the player's WIRE id"
     );
-    // EXTENSION: custom byte-identical, manager + squadType preserved.
+    // EXTENSION: custom byte-identical, squadType preserved. The manager is now
+    // an ownership-backed assignment (not projected from the PUT/ext); with none
+    // supplied to this stand-in it projects empty.
     assert_eq!(projected["custom"], put_v["custom"]);
-    assert_eq!(projected["manager"], put_v["manager"]);
+    assert!(projected["manager"].as_array().unwrap().is_empty());
     assert_eq!(projected["squadType"], "REGULAR_SQUAD");
     // SHADOW: client-reported values carried as-is (baseline chemistry 52).
     assert_eq!(projected["chemistry"], 52);
@@ -268,13 +274,11 @@ fn persisted_read_round_trips_via_reconstructed_canonical_and_extension() {
     // evidence, then project and require the read back — the strongest fidelity
     // check across all four ownership classes.
     use openfut_adapter_fifa17::fut::squad::ClientReportedSquadEval;
-    use openfut_adapter_fifa17::fut::squad_ext::{
-        Fifa17SquadExtensionV1, KicktakerRef, WireItemRef,
-    };
+    use openfut_adapter_fifa17::fut::squad_ext::{Fifa17SquadExtensionV1, KicktakerRef};
     use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 
     let oracle: Value = serde_json::from_str(READ_ORACLE).unwrap();
-    let (owned, ident) = oracle_tables();
+    let (owned, mut ident) = oracle_tables();
     let captain = oracle["captain"].as_i64().unwrap();
 
     let mut slots = Vec::new();
@@ -294,14 +298,35 @@ fn persisted_read_round_trips_via_reconstructed_canonical_and_extension() {
             is_on_bench: index >= 11,
         });
     }
-    let manager: Vec<WireItemRef> = serde_json::from_value(oracle["manager"].clone()).unwrap();
+    // The manager is now ownership-backed: register its owned instance + identity
+    // and pass it as the assignment, not as an opaque extension field.
+    let mgr_wire = oracle["manager"][0]["id"].as_i64().unwrap();
+    let mgr_oc = format!("oc-{mgr_wire}");
+    ident.0.insert(
+        mgr_oc.clone(),
+        Fifa17Identity {
+            item_id: mgr_wire as u32,
+            asset_id: 5001,
+            resource_id: 5001,
+            rareflag: 1,
+        },
+    );
+    let manager_item = CoreOwnedItem {
+        owned_card_id: mgr_oc,
+        card_id: "def-manager".to_string(),
+        rating: 0,
+        position: String::new(),
+        nation: String::new(),
+        league: String::new(),
+        club: String::new(),
+        attributes: [0; 6],
+    };
     let kicktakers: Vec<KicktakerRef> =
         serde_json::from_value(oracle["kicktakers"].clone()).unwrap();
     let ext = Fifa17SquadExtensionV1 {
         custom: oracle["custom"].as_str().map(str::to_string),
         squad_type: oracle["squadType"].as_str().map(str::to_string),
         kit_numbers,
-        manager,
         kicktakers,
         client_reported: ClientReportedSquadEval {
             chemistry: oracle["chemistry"].as_i64(),
@@ -316,6 +341,7 @@ fn persisted_read_round_trips_via_reconstructed_canonical_and_extension() {
         slots,
         ext: SquadExtInput::Fresh(ext),
         owned: &owned,
+        manager: Some(manager_item),
     };
     let SquadProjection::Projected(projected) = project_squad(&input, &ident, &NoEntities).unwrap()
     else {