Dan Ashworth to leave role as Manchester United sporting director

Dan Ashworth has stepped down from his role as the sporting director of Manchester United after just five months with the team.

Manchester United made a big splash when they brought Ashworth over from Newcastle, investing significant resources in the move. However, the two sides have now reached a consensus to go their separate ways. Following the team's 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest, which dropped United to 13th place in the league, discussions took place between Ashworth and chief executive Omar Berrada. Ultimately, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe approved Ashworth's exit.

Ashworth felt sidelined by the ownership and left out of what he considered important decisions, leading to the realization that the arrangement wasn’t benefiting either side. Club staff were taken aback by the news, but discussions about Ashworth’s position had been ongoing for several weeks among key figures at Old Trafford. It became increasingly clear that the situation was not unfolding as intended, ultimately resulting in the announcement of the sporting director’s departure on Sunday.

“Dan Ashworth will be stepping down from his position as the sporting director of Manchester United by mutual consent,” said a statement from the club. “We appreciate Dan's contributions and support during this time of change for the club and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

After Ineos became involved with the club last year, they implemented several organizational changes. Berrada was brought in from Manchester City to take a leadership role, while Sir Dave Brailsford, a trusted associate of Ratcliffe, has played a significant part in the restructuring. Ashworth welcomed technical director Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell, who now oversees recruitment, to help transform the team's dynamics.

Ashworth was a primary focus for the new leadership team under minority owner Ratcliffe, who paid Newcastle a significant seven-figure fee to bring him on board. Before he could officially begin his role at United, Ashworth had to go through a gardening leave from Newcastle, waiting for both clubs to reach an agreement. This deal allowed him to start on July 1 instead of facing a lengthy 18-month notice period. At 53, he came in with high hopes due to his previous achievements at Brighton, the FA, and Newcastle, but the challenging circumstances at United have made it difficult for him to achieve the same level of success.

The ex-technical director of the Football Association was tasked with managing performance and recruitment at United. However, his tenure included just one transfer window, during which the club invested £200 million on several players, such as Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte.

Ashworth was involved in the decision-making team that chose to retain Erik ten Hag as manager and renewed his contract after the team won the FA Cup. This came despite a lackluster eighth-place finish in the Premier League and a quick exit from the Champions League during the group stage. The Dutch coach was unable to improve the team's performance, leading to his dismissal last month, as Manchester United found themselves in 14th place and winless in their Europa League campaign this season.

In November, Berrada accompanied Ashworth to Lisbon to pitch the Manchester United project to Ruben Amorim, successfully persuading him to move from Sporting to England. Upon his appointment last month, Amorim expressed that he felt a bond with Ashworth and his team, stating, "We aim to accomplish something extraordinary at this remarkable club."

Ashworth was hesitant about adopting the new 3-4-3 formation under head coach Amorim. He preferred a stable style of play that would remain consistent, no matter who was in charge, as this approach would support their long-term recruitment plan. This difference in opinion created some friction.

It's uncertain whether they will look for someone from outside the organization to take Ashworth's place or if they'll restructure the existing team with current members. The club is trying to find the best approach during this transitional phase under Ratcliffe.