- Dan Ashworth has left his position as sporting director at Manchester United after just 5 months, citing feelings of being sidelined from big decisions
- Ashworth had disagreements with other key figures at the club, including Omar Berrada and Sir Dave Brailsford, who were making major decisions without his input
- The appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach was a major point of contention, with Ashworth preferring Gareth Southgate for the role
- Jason Wilcox will take over Ashworth’s duties in the short term, while the club decides on its next steps
- The departure of Ashworth is the latest in a series of struggles for Manchester United, both on and off the pitch, with the club having spent around £3m to bring him in from Newcastle just 5 months ago
Key Takeaways:
In an unexpected move, Dan Ashworth has left his position as sporting director at Manchester United after just 5 months in the role. The departure comes amid reports of tension and disagreement between Ashworth and other key figures at the club, including Omar Berrada and Sir Dave Brailsford.
According to sources, Ashworth felt sidelined from big decisions from almost the moment he arrived at the club, with Berrada and Brailsford calling the shots. The final straw appears to have been the appointment of Ruben Amorim as head coach, a move that Ashworth was not in favour of. Instead, he had recommended Gareth Southgate for the role, but his advice was ignored. The situation is further complicated by reports of tension between Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ashworth, with Ratcliffe said to be unhappy with the transfer strategy employed by the club last summer.
🚨🚨🎙️| Roy Keane on Dan Ashworth:
“He doesn’t hang around does he? I’m not sure loyalty is on the top of his list. He left Brighton for Newcastle and now [in only 2 years] he’s jumping to join United.
You have to look at that side of the personality as well, no doubt he is… pic.twitter.com/ruuUpJyKtR
— centredevils. (@centredevils) February 16, 2024
The departure of Ashworth is a significant blow to Manchester United, who had spent around £3m to bring him in from Newcastle just 5 months ago. The club’s struggles on and off the pitch continue, with the team having lost 2-3 at home to Nottingham on Saturday.
Interestingly, Manchester United legend Roy Keane had raised concerns about Ashworth’s career moves even before his appointment. “He doesn’t hang around does he? I’m not sure loyalty is on the top of his list. He left Brighton for Newcastle and now he’s jumping to join United” Keane warned months before Ashworth’s arrival, “You have to look at that side of the personality as well, no doubt he is brilliant at his job, but who’s to say in a year and a half he might want to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona.”
In the short term, Jason Wilcox will take over Ashworth’s duties, but the club will need to move quickly to find a permanent replacement and stabilize the situation. The departure of Ashworth is the latest in a series of setbacks for Manchester United, and the club will be hoping to turn things around soon.