Dan Ashworth could replace Edu as Arsenal’s sporting director following his departure from Manchester United, according to The Athletic.
Journalists Laurie Whitwell and Adam Crafton have suggested that Ashworth’s links to Gunners’ managing director Richard Garlick mean he could move to the North London club:
“The 53-year-old is expected to have no shortage of offers. Several people in the game are privately pointing out how Arsenal are searching for a new sporting director and their managing director is Richard Garlick, a close colleague of Ashworth’s from their West Bromwich Albion days, although there are no indications of anything substantive at this stage.
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United confirmed that they had sacked Ashworth on Sunday just five months after his arrival from Newcastle.
Why has Ashworth left Old Trafford?
It is believed that disagreements with Sir Jim Ratcliffe have played a big role in the 53-year-old’s departure from Manchester United.
Ashworth did not take the lead on appointing a replacement for Erik ten Hag with chief executive Omar Berrada having headed the negotiations to hire Ruben Amorim.
While Ashworth had recommended some names (including Thomas Frank, Graham Potter, Marco Silva and Eddie Howe), he chose people that he knew from the Premier League. Ratcliffe is said to have questioned his vetting process, having also taken umbrage at the recommendation that a third-party data company should be hired to assess candidates when he felt Ashworth should have had a shortlist prepared already.
In addition, Ashworth’s comments in September, distancing him from the decision to give ten Hag a new contract also irked Ratcliffe, on top of the fact that he decided to take a holiday just days after Amorim’s appointment.
Who could United hire as their next sporting director?
Atletico Madrid’s recruitment chief Andrea Berta is the early frontrunner but there is a good chance that a replacement for Ashworth won’t be appointed at all.
The fact that Berrada took the lead on appointing Amorim, and the presence of Christopher Vivell as head of recruitment means there is no urgent need to fill the sporting director position.
Of course, Ashworth’s main remit was to restructure and modernise the club’s footballing operations. It remains to be seen whether that has been put on the back burner following his shock exit.
Find out who is in Manchester United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here