Manchester United's chief Dan Ashworth has walked away from Old Trafford just five months into his tenure.
The Athletic reveals that the ex-Newcastle supremo has bid farewell after a critical sit-down with summer recruit Omar Berrada. It's been hinted at that Sir Jim Ratcliffe played a pivotal role in these developments, and the departure of Ashworth is being described as "mutual." Despite this shake-up, both Berrada and technical director Jason Wilock maintain their positions at the club.
INEOS owner Ratcliffe, having taken the reins at Manchester United, had Ashworth in his sights for quite some time, eventually snagging him after back-and-forth negotiations with Newcastle, where Ashworth was on "gardening leave."
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The ex-Newcastle supremo has bid farewell after a critical sit-down
The ex-Newcastle supremo has bid farewell after a critical sit-down (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Magpies initially held firm on a £20m clause to let Ashworth go but settled for a fee in the region of £2-£3m.
A joint statement issued by the clubs last July said: "Newcastle United and Manchester United have reached an agreement for the immediate release of Dan Ashworth from his contractual obligations at Newcastle United. The terms of this agreement remain confidential between the clubs. Newcastle United thanks Dan for his services and wishes him well for the future."
United were over the moon to finally secure Ashworth's expertise, but reports indicate that his integration hasn't gone as envisaged, leading to murmurings that United triggered his exit, reports the Mirror.
United were over the moon to finally secure Ashworth's expertise
United were over the moon to finally secure Ashworth's expertise (Image: Getty Images)
He's departed with immediate effect, his last match being the shocking 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Ashworth was a key player in the Red Devils' summer transfer dealings, which saw United splash out around £200m on five new faces, including high-profile signings like Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee.
However, this hefty investment hasn't translated into better performances on the pitch. After their defeat to Forest, United find themselves languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table.
Their poor form earlier in the season led to the sacking of former manager Erik ten Hag - a decision that Ashworth reportedly had a say in. Besides his time at United and Newcastle, Ashworth has also held positions at West Bromwich Albion, the FA and Brighton.
United aren't the only Premier League club to lose their sporting director this season - Edu made a sensational exit from Arsenal earlier in the campaign. He appears poised to take up a role within Evangelos Marinakis' multi-club setup.
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