Manchester United has officially announced that Dan Ashworth has left his club's sporting director role. Ashworth joined the Red Devils on July 1st after a period of being put on gardening leave by Newcastle United when pushing for the job at Old Trafford.
Ashworth's premature departure from the club has come as a massive shock. Omar Berrada, United’s chief executive, mutually agreed over the separation during a meeting following the team's shock 3-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening in the Premier League.
Manchester United's official statement read:
“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.”
Dan Ashworth Leaves Manchester United After Just Five Months
Ashworth was overseeing a huge rebuild at Manchester United and was renowned as one of the best sporting directors in the football world. His arrival was considered a huge step forward for the club under the new ownership of INEOS. Fans expected top football recruitment and critical roles in reshaping the club’s structure.
However, after just five months, a meeting concluded a mutual agreement to part ways, with technical director Jason Wilcox and Berrada highlighting a clear lack of synergy among the football operations team.
Ashworth was responsible for Manchester United’s summer spending spree of nearly £185 million. Manuel Ugarte, Noussair Mazraoui, and Matthijs De Ligt, were among those to have arrived and have been deemed successful signings till now.
The exact reason for the premature departure is still unknown. However, the club suggests that it was a collaborative decision. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been at the center of criticism after this, and many believe that the Englishman has flaws in his strategic thinking, considering the compensation fee United had to pay Newcastle and the overall financial outlay involved in Ashworth’s appointment.
Looking at the broader picture, United’s stability and direction raise huge questions following Ashworth’s exit. It could signal a complete reset in approach or further delay the club's effort to rebuild a team with a proper football philosophy and mindset to win trophies again.
INEOS were well aware of probably the biggest task in the world, getting this great club back to where it belongs, and even in the early stages, are not shy of making harsh and unpredictable decisions for the club's best interest. The reality, therefore, has been tougher now that after a sudden separation, United searches for a huge hole to fill in a structure still in its development phase. With the January transfer window on the brink, let’s see how INEOS handles this situation.