Manchester United Sporting Director Ashworth Departs After Five-Month Tenure

Manchester United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, has departed from his position after a tenure of only five months. Mr. Ashworth commenced his official duties at United on 1 July, following a five-month period of gardening leave from his previous club, Newcastle. His departure from Old Trafford was concluded during a meeting held after the Red Devils’ 3-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, as reported by several sources familiar with the matter. The Athletic initially reported the 53-year-old’s exit on Sunday. A statement released by Manchester United indicated that the decision was reached by “mutual agreement,” further stating: “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.” Following the match against Forest, Ashworth was observed traversing the press conference room alongside Collette Roche, the club’s chief operating officer. It is understood that he was en route to a meeting where his departure was subsequently confirmed. Manchester United has experienced a challenging season to date, having dismissed manager Erik ten Hag in October following only three victories from their initial nine Premier League fixtures. The club subsequently verified that £10.4m was expended to compensate Ten Hag and his coaching staff, while securing his replacement, Ruben Amorim, incurred a cost of £11m for his release clause. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also faced criticism from supporters for eliminating concessions on what the club identifies as the 3% of tickets that remain unsold for Premier League matches, and for implementing a minimum price of £66. This action prompted protests at Old Trafford preceding last weekend’s win against Everton. Ratcliffe has stated that United has become “mediocre” and cautioned that further “difficult and unpopular decisions” will be necessary. According to the most recent financial accounts, covering the period up to 30 June 2024, the club reported a net loss of £113.2m. Over the past five years, total losses have exceeded £370m, with the club having since dismissed Ten Hag and appointed Amorim. The defeat by Forest positioned United 13th in the Premier League standings, having secured five victories from 15 matches. This news represents an embarrassment for United. As recently as February, Ratcliffe had voiced his frustration regarding the delay in bringing Ashworth to Old Trafford, as Newcastle had insisted on compensation. Ultimately, United paid £3m for Ashworth, who consequently spent an equal duration on gardening leave as he did in his actual role at United. The specific reasons behind Ashworth’s departure have not been disclosed. Sources within the club indicate that the decision was challenging but was reached through collaborative effort during a transitional phase, as the new ownership continues to assess the optimal organizational structure for the club. Critics of Ratcliffe are expected to highlight the financial implications of this decision—including the dismissal of manager Ten Hag mere months after his contract extension, followed by the subsequent appointment of Amorim as head coach—as proof of flawed strategic planning. In aggregate, the appointments of Amorim and Ashworth, combined with Ten Hag’s dismissal, have incurred costs nearing £25m for the club. On Saturday, Ratcliffe was compelled to explain the increase in ticket prices to £66, without concessions, asserting the necessity to generate the maximum possible revenue for investment in the first team. Ashworth’s prior professional experience includes positions at West Bromwich Albion, the FA, and Brighton, before he joined Newcastle in 2022. Significant negotiations transpired concerning his departure from Newcastle to Old Trafford, with Ashworth at one stage prepared to initiate arbitration proceedings against the Magpies to resolve the deadlock. However, discussions between the clubs culminated in an out-of-court settlement reached in June, with Ashworth assuming his new position a week thereafter. He became part of a restructured leadership team at Old Trafford, which also saw Jason Wilcox arrive as technical director from Southampton and Omar Berrada, a former senior official at Manchester City, appointed as chief executive. Ratcliffe’s partial acquisition of United was publicly announced on 24 December of the previous year, and his team is responsible for nearly all decisions pertaining to football operations.