Sporting director shockingly exits role at Manchester United

Dan Ashworth has cut his tenure short at Manchester United, months after his confirmation as the club’s Sporting Director.

After just five months in the role, Ashworth has parted ways with the Red Devils in what’s being described as a rocky and unsmooth transition.

The 53-year-old, heralded as a “world-class sporting director” by Sir Jim Ratcliffe earlier this year, seemed poised to lead United’s rebuilding mission under the new INEOS-led regime. But following a disappointing Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest, a decisive meeting with Chief Executive Omar Berrada sealed his fate.

Ashworth’s summer spending spree, where he oversaw a colossal £200 million investment in stars like Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs De Ligt, and Manuel Ugarte, was seen as a statement of intent.

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However, The Athletic reports suggest that United itself “instigated” his departure amid concerns over his fit within the club’s structure.

His departure marks a dramatic turn for a figure once hailed as the architect of transformative success at clubs like Brighton and Newcastle. Ashworth’s vision for United, rooted in deep personal ties to Manchester, now appears to have been derailed before it could gain traction.

With Dan Ashworth on the hunt for his next challenge, Manchester United finds itself scrambling for a new sporting director to steady the ship. Fans, meanwhile, are left questioning how the man once trusted to spearhead United’s resurgence fell out of favor so quickly.

Was this exit the result of internal discord, poor results, or something more?