Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth steps down less than six months after arriving at Old Trafford
Dan Ashworth was one of the costliest hires at Manchester United under minority owner Jim Ratcliffe. During Ashworth's tenure, Manchester United saw manager Eric ten Hag leave the club after a below-par start to the season.
Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth has stepped down from his role at the Old Trafford less than six months after joining the English Premier League (EPL) giants as a part of an overhaul by minority owner Jim Ratcliffe. The news of Ashworth leaving the club by mutual agreement came on Sunday after Manchester United 2-3 loss to Nottingham Forest the previous night.
With this loss, Manchester United stay 13th in the EPL standings, eight points adrift of the top four. “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,” United said in a statement.
However, Manchester United are yet to find a replacement for Ashworth, who was one of the big hires under Ratcliffe after the British billionaire paid $1.3 billion for a 27.7% stake in the storied club in February.
Ashworth, one of the most highly regarded sporting directors in football, was hired from Premier League rival Newcastle and had to serve a period of gardening leave during months of negotiations before taking up his new role in July.
Dan Ashworth, one of biggest hires under Jim Ratcliffe
Along with new chief executive Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox as technical director, Ashworth was one three appointments seen as key to Ratcliffe's overhaul.
But on-field progress has been slow, with manager Erik ten Hag fired in October after the club made its worst start to a season in the Premier League era. Ruben Amorim was hired from Sporting Lisbon and the defeat to Forest was United's second in successive matches.
United spent more than $200 million on transfers in the offseason, but many of those signings have failed to impress so far. Ratcliffe, one of Britain's richest people, is the owner of petrochemicals giant INEOS and a lifelong Manchester United fan.
He assumed control of the 20-time league champion's football department when buying a minority share in the club from US owner the Glazer family.
Ratcliffe set himself a bold target of returning United to the summit of English and European soccer, but it looks like being another troubled season for the team that has not won the title since former manager Alex Ferguson's final season in 2013.
With AP Inputs
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Business NewsSportsFootball NewsManchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth steps down less than six months after arriving at Old Trafford
First Published:8 Dec 2024, 06:42 PM IST
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