Manchester United part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe made another big decision over the weekend as Dan Ashworth left the club, but it was far from the first.
"Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of Manchester United by mutual agreement," United wrote in a short statement announcing the exit. "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."
Sporting director Ashworth only joined from Newcastle United in July, with Ratcliffe fighting hard to get his man. Manchester United and Newcastle had initially appeared to be some way apart on their valuation of the 50-year-old, but a compensation package was eventually agreed.
Ultimately, though, Ashworth's spell at Old Trafford included just one transfer window, and he was spotted being escorted out of Old Trafford before the announcement of his exit was confirmed. It's by no means the only significant decision made by Ratcliffe since he took a 27.7 percent stake in the club in early 2024, and there has been plenty of controversy along the way.
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"This marks the completion of the transaction, but just the beginning of our journey to take Manchester United back to the top of English, European and world football, with world-class facilities for our fans," Ratcliffe said when his takeover deal became official in February. "Work to achieve those objectives will accelerate from today.”
So, how has United's part-owner gone about his business to help the club work on achieving its ambitions? Mirror Football has a timeline of events.
John Murtough's exit
United's chief executive Richard Arnold left in 2023, before Ratcliffe's arrival was made official, and football director Murtough followed not long after. Murtough spent more than a decade in a variety of roles with the club, but his exit was confirmed in April.
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John Murtough with Erik ten Hag in 2022 (
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"We want to thank John for his loyal service over many years, and for his support and integrity during this period of transition," Ratcliffe said in a statement at the time. "He leaves with our best wishes for the future."
Ratcliffe has been busy making his own appointments, with CEO Omar Berrada announced in January and joining later in the year. Technical director Jason Wilcox followed, as did sporting director Ashworth, though the latter has now moved on.
Ending working from home
Ratcliffe had only officially been in charge for three months when it emerged he was looking to stop staff working from home. United had introduced a flexible policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing staff to work remotely for some of the time, and this had remained in place until 2024.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made a number of changes since taking over at Old Trafford (
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In May of this year, though, Ratcliffe called an all-staff meeting, with some attending in person and others joining remotely. According to The Guardian, those unwilling to return to the office were urged to "seek alternative employment".
Around the same time, Ratcliffe's cost-cutting measures were felt elsewhere as staff were asked to contribute £20 towards FA Cup final travel after having it covered in 2023. "While we appreciate this is a change from previous trips, you will all be aware of the need for us to spend the club’s money effectively, with a focus on performance and outcomes," an email to staff members read.
Changes around women's team
Manchester United's women's team have been competitive since winning promotion to the WSL, finishing as high as second in the 2022-23 season and winning the FA Cup in 2024. Since Ratcliffe's arrival, though, some worrying signs have emerged.
Manchester United won the Women's FA Cup in 2024 (
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In June, The Guardian reported that United's men would take advantage of the women's state-of-the-art facilities while other parts of the Carrington training complex were revamped. “We’ve been pretty much focused on how do we resolve the first-team issues, in that environment, and that’s been pretty full-time for the first six months,” Ratcliffe had earlier said in a Bloomberg interview, with the 'first-team' wording not sitting well with some.
According to reports at the time from The Athletic, the Professional Footballers' Association sought conversations after seeing the women's team moved to temporary facilities. United's women's team also saw a number of high-profile transfer departures over the summer, with England goalkeeper Mary Earps joining Paris Saint-Germain and Katie Zelem - part of United's squad since their Championship days - leaving for Angel City in the United States.
Ferguson's role ending
Sir Alex Ferguson with Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the 2024 FA Cup final (
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Legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson remains the last United boss to win the Premier League, doing so in 2013. He had remained with the club in a high-profile ambassadorial role under the Glazer family's ownership, but Ratcliffe put a stop to the deal.
The Scot's exit followed a face-to-face meeting with United's part owner. Ratcliffe is understood to have made reference to the club's attempts to cut costs, explaining they couldn't continue with Ferguson's seven-figure deal beyond the current season.
Ferguson's meeting with Ratcliffe is understood to have been an amicable one. Nonetheless, it points to the part-owner's willingness to take decisions that won't be universally populat.
Erik ten Hag's departure
A defeat at West Ham ended up being Erik ten Hag's final game in charge (
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United gave their backing to Erik ten Hag over the summer, handing the manager a new contract. Just months later, though, Ratcliffe refused to give his public backing to the Dutchman.
Less than a month after the billionaire's non-committal comments in early October, Ten Hag was gone. A defeat at West Ham was the final straw, but the sacking came after a series of poor results in the league and in Europe.
"We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future," United said in a statement. The club moved quickly to identify a replacement, bringing in Ruben Amorim at significant cost, and Ruud van Nistelrooy also departed just months after joining Ten Hag's coaching staff.
Ticket price controversy
Manchester United fans protesting against the ticket price changes
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In November, United moved to make ticket prices £66 at a minimum for the remainder of the season. This meant no discounts for children or over-65s, and supporters groups voiced their frustration with Ratcliffe after the news broke.
"There is a risk that this is only the opening salvo of what will surely be massive pressure to implement a significant price rise for next season," the Manchester United Supporters' Trust said as part of a lengthy statement. "Once they have got used to charging £132 for a parent and child to come to OT [Old Trafford], will they really go back to the old pricing levels for next season?"
United's fans aren't the only ones to have been angered by ticketing changes this term. Their supporters were joined by counterparts following Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City in joint protests against rising prices.
Ashworth's departure
After Ashworth's arrival in early July, United stepped up their summer transfer business. Joshua Zirkzee arrived within a fortnight of the sporting director, followed by Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte, with youngster Sekou Kone brought in for the academy side.
As we head into the January window, though, a change is afoot. If the club are to make any signings - and the need for players who suit Ruben Amorim's setup suggests they may well do so - someone else will be tasked with getting those deals over the line.
"Ratcliffe knows this looks lousy," the Mirror's Andy Dunn writes. "Spend all that time and money on prising Dan Ashworth out of Newcastle United and then, at even more expense, fire him five months after he started at Old Trafford."
It's a ruthless decision, but it could be one that ends up benefiting United in the long run. Only time will tell in that regard.
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