Dan Ashworth Leaves Manchester United
Dan Ashworth is no longer with Manchester United after just five months. The club confirmed this news. Ashworth joined United on July 1 and was praised by part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe as one of the best sporting directors around. But his time at the club got rocky. It ended after a tough 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest, leaving the team in 13th place in the league.
The Club’s Statement
The club released a statement saying: “Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of Manchester United by mutual agreement.” They thanked him for his help during a tough time and wished him the best for what comes next. Although the club said it was a mutual decision, the timing raises some questions about Ratcliffe and his Ineos group, which runs the club.
ICYMT: Dan Ashworth Exits Manchester United After Brief Tenure
Ashworth’s Challenges
During his short time, Ashworth made some big decisions. He extended Erik ten Hag’s contract over the summer. But Ten Hag got fired in October, which put the club’s costs up by £10.4 million. Ruben Amorim steps in as the new manager after United paid around £11 million to get him from Sporting Lisbon. Ashworth also handled a big summer transfer window. The club spent £200 million on players like Leny Yoro and Matthijs De Ligt. Before joining United, Ashworth was at Newcastle and had to wait for his exit from there.
Why Did He Leave?
Sources say Ashworth met with Omar Berrada after Saturday’s game and then talked with Collette Roche. This came right after Ratcliffe admitted in a fan magazine that he had made some mistakes in choosing staff for United. Reflecting on his experiences with other Ineos clubs, Ratcliffe said: Managing Nice and Lausanne taught us a lot. We didn’t have everything figured out at United, and we know we made some errors, but it could have been worse without those experiences.
Amorim’s Tough Start
Manchester United is facing challenges under new manager Ruben Amorim. His start looked good, but now the team has two losses in a row. The latest loss to Nottingham Forest was tough. Amorim had warned about difficulties ahead. The 39-year-old mentioned that there could be a storm ahead as he tries to stabilize the team. Former Premier League player Don Hutchison believes things might get worse before they get better. “It’s going to take time,” Hutchison said. “He’s aware that quick fixes might just cover over deeper problems. He sees the team’s weak spots, especially in midfield, and knows a lot of work is needed.” Hutchison also pointed out that Amorim should settle on a solid starting lineup. While he understands the need to experiment, finding a consistent group could help bring some stability. Amorim’s tenure started with Ruud van Nistelrooy leaving and now Ashworth’s quick exit is adding to the confusion. Hutchison suspects there might have been disagreements among the higher-ups prompting Ashworth to go. “It’s strange,” he said. “Ratcliffe wanted Ashworth. For him to leave so soon raises eyebrows about decisions at the top. It definitely leaves us puzzled.”
