MANCHESTER UNITED SPORTING director Dan Ashworth has left the club after just five months, the Premier League side have announced.
Ashworth joined United on 1 July, having been described by part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as “one of the top sporting directors in the world”.
But it appears that his transition has not gone smoothly and his departure was announced a day after Saturday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest left United 13th in the table.
Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of Manchester United by mutual agreement.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 8, 2024
A club statement said: “Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of Manchester United by mutual agreement.
“We would like to thank Dan for his work and support during a transitional period for the club and wish him well for the future.”
Although United have said the decision was mutual, the manner and timing of Ashworth’s departure will raise more questions for Ratcliffe’s Ineos group.
Ashworth had, along with the rest of the United hierarchy, been part of the decision to hand former manager Erik ten Hag a new contract in the summer, having been quoted in the official announcement in June.
However, Ten Hag was sacked in October, with that contract extension adding to a sizable compensation bill of £10.4million (€12,535,120), before the appointment of Ruben Amorim, who took charge last month after United paid around £11m (€13,258,300) to get him from Sporting Lisbon.
Ashworth was also involved in an expensive summer of recruitment, with the combined fees for Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee costing around £200m (€241m).
United spent around five months trying to prise Ashworth out of his previous role at Newcastle, with the 53-year-old going on gardening leave, but Ineos must now try again to fill one of the most important roles at the club.
Shambles.
@Brian Dunne: what is going on
@robbie Delaney: nobody seems to know robbie, least of all ineos it would seem!
@Brian Dunne: An utter shambles Brian, and still the Glazers lining their pockets.
@Brian Dunne: if it was him who signed off Zirkzee deal he should be fired. Worst player I have seen play for United and that’s saying something given some of our recent signings
@Dec: bit harsh he scored twice v everton and anthony comes to mind
Basket Case FC
And its still the Glaziers fault ??
@Michael Carroll: it was always their fault
Everyone kept laughing at Chelsea when they kept hiring and firing players and managers. Nobody is laughing now. Dan Ashworth badly botched his first transfer window. 200m spent did not improve the team.
@Caolan Z: why what have Chelsea done since
@Caolan Z: man u are finished
So change the sporting director and all will be well it seems.
@Bert Carolan: well he was the teapot who signed the most recent duds and extended ten hags contact. Radcliffe won’t tolerate that
@anthony davoren: Did Radcliffe not appoint him?
Will be looking for a new manager shortly
@Hugh Casey:great insight there Hugh. Please explain your deep understanding and reasoning to us all
@Dessie: some patterns are easy to follow.
@Hugh Casey: when
A catalogue of bad decisions at Utd. The most recent being the hire of an unquestionably gifted manager, to manage a squad that in no way suits how he plays.
@Phil McCabe: I assume that’s how it normally works ..then the manager acquires player’s that suits his style to compliment the existing players who can adapt. Then cut loose the players that are unable to adapt.
@Phil McCabe: apparently one of the reasons Liverpool knocked him back, he was uncompromising about playing 3 at the back, best of luck with that lads!
@damien leen: so what your saying is liverpool wanted a manager that played 3 at the back but not want him to play 3 at the back. Sounds like you were in the room when them decisions were made
@anthony davoren: now now Anthony there is no need to speak sense on this forum, we have a few people that will hurt their wee heads reading your comments.
@anthony davoren: sure, that makes sense, but the amount of money they’ve wasted in the last 6 months alone is shocking. Sir Jim needs to change the culture and this sacking must be part of that change.
Jesus these football teams show no patience