The exit of Dan Ashworth from Manchester United has underscored Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s readiness to make a swift turnaround on a significant decision.
On Sunday, it was announced Ashworth would be leaving his role as United’s sporting director after just five months at Old Trafford. The ex-FA executive was previously tied up in an extended period of ‘gardening leave’ imposed by Newcastle United before he switched to join Ratcliffe last summer, reports the Mirror.
United had engaged in protracted talks with the Magpies for around five months to secure Ashworth’s services, with Sir Jim labelling him “one of the top sporting directors in the world”, yet his tenure concluded in under six months. And this move marks a pivotal point for the INEOS era, which has also seen the dismissal of United’s manager Erik ten Hag.
READ MORE: Manchester United in turmoil as Dan Ashworth leaves five-months into new job
READ MORE: What Ruben Amorim got wrong as Man Utd blown away by Nottingham Forest at home
While the long-term impact of Ashworth’s departure on United remains uncertain, one thing is crystal clear about Ratcliffe; he doesn’t shy away from making big decisions, even though those decisions clearly don’t always hit the mark and have cost United dearly. United paid £3m for Ashworth and have spent £21.4m to replace Ten Hag with Amorim.
United made the announcement of his departure through a brief and to-the-point statement on their official club website, stating: “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.”
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Before the season kicked off, United chose to stick with Ten Hag even after the squad finished a disappointing 8th in the Premier League. Ashworth was brought in to revamp United’s recruitment strategy and played a central role in the £200 million summer splurge that welcomed Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui, and Leny Yoro to the team.
Following United’s decision to part ways with Ten Hag as they languished at 14th in the Premier League standings, it appears that Ratcliffe and his associates opted to reassess their strategy for pivotal club decisions. The departure of Ashworth signals that Ratcliffe may be adopting a more ruthless stance when it comes to what he deems beneficial for Man United.
Nevertheless, Ashworth’s short-lived tenure, after an arduous chase to secure his services, may point towards a chink in the armour of his decision-making team. Devoting so much effort to coax Ashworth aboard only to hustle him swiftly towards the exit is bound to raise eyebrows amongst the United faithful – and the wider footballing world – coming at great expense.
(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Inside sources at United have told The Athletic that it was the club who triggered Ashworth’s departure rather than the man himself. United had labelled Ashworth’s decision to step down as “mutual.”
His portfolio included the overall performance of the football division, talent scouting and operations, and he also closely collaborated with technical director Jason Wilcox. He was among the numerous execs at United who backed the summer contract extension for Ten Hag and was quoted by United in the official announcement on the matter.
His departure is believed to have been finalised during a meeting with Omar Berrada, United’s Chief Executive Officer, who joined the club in January, shortly after United’s 3-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest. Ashworth was a prominent figure at the club, frequently quoted by their internal media in statements and announcements.
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When United’s summer transfers were officially announced by the club, his comments were often featured alongside the confirmation statements. It’s clear that Ratcliffe regarded him as a top-tier appointment.
When United were trying to bring him in whilst negotiating with Newcastle, Ratcliffe stated: “Dan Ashworth is clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world.
“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.”