In a surprise turn of events, it has been announced that Dan Ashworth has left his role as Manchester United sporting director after just five months.
The 53-year-old, who only joined United in July after the club shook hands on a compensation deal with Newcastle, agreed to his departure in a meeting with chief executive Omar Berrada after their Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
A report from The Athletic suggests his transition ‘has not been smooth and his exit has been decided upon.’ They also claim United ‘instigated’ the separation.
Ashworth was in overall charge of football performance, recruitment and operations at Old Trafford and for many, he was seen as the ideal man to spearhead the INEOS-led regime following spells at West Brom, Brighton and Newcastle.
But after being pivotal in their summer spending, which saw United fork out around £200 million on Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair MazraouI, Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte, the former FA director of elite development will presumably be on the lookout for a new role.
United, meanwhile, will be searching for a new sporting director in their relatively new structure.
As mentioned earlier, this news will likely come as a surprise, especially given what co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said about Ashworth in February.
“Dan Ashworth is clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world,” he said.
“I have no doubt he is a very capable person. He is interested in Manchester United because it’s the biggest challenge at the biggest club in the world. It would be different at City because you’re maintaining a level. Here it’s a significant rebuilding job. He would be a very good addition.”
Bruno Fernandes poses with Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth after signing a contract extension. Image credit: Getty
Back in July, an excited Ashworth sent a lengthy message to United supporters, where he outlined his vision for the club.
“This is one of my first opportunities to address Manchester United fans since joining the club as sporting director on 1 July, so I want to start by saying how delighted I am to be here,” he told United’s official website.
“Although I grew up in Norfolk, I’ve always had a strong attachment with Manchester because my mum and dad were born in Middleton and my grandparents lived their whole lives there.
“When I visited as a boy, my dad would take me to games across Greater Manchester and I remember the thrill of my first visit to Old Trafford in the late 1970s, watching the likes of Lou Macari, Jimmy Nicholl and Arthur Albiston.
“I can’t claim to have been a partisan United fan – my dad enjoyed watching all the local teams – but I remember the special buzz that always seemed to surround games at Old Trafford, and it’s something I have experienced many times since during my career in football.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, owner of Manchester United, with Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth. Image credit: Getty
Ashworth added: “This remains one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but that is not our measure of success; the focus is on getting back to being among the best on the pitch. It won’t happen overnight, but, together with Omar and his new leadership team, we will not rest until we have achieved it.”