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Dan Ashworth reportedly had Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe as part of a four-man shortlist to replace Erik ten Hag.
Manchester United pulled the trigger on the Dutchman in October just months after giving him a contract extension. Giving him a fresh deal following his FA Cup heroics was viewed as the first major mistake of the Ineos-backed regime.
Led by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Red Devils promised to overhaul a club in decline due to the unpopular Glazer ownership. Several key players were headhunted to make an impact at boardroom level.
As well as Ashworth - sensationally dismissed as sporting director over the weekend after just five months - Man United appointed Omar Berrada as CEO from Manchester City and Southampton’s technical director Jason Wilcox. Ratcliffe went public about his Ashworth pursuit but U-turned on Saturday, hours after the Red Devils lost at home to Nottingham Forest.
One of their key disagreements was reportedly over Ruben Amorim’s appointment - backed largely by Berrada. Several sources now claim Ashworth pinpointed Howe as a potential Ten Hag successor.
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Other candidates included Marco Silva, Graham Potter and Thomas Frank, all managers with previous Premier League experience. Ultimately, Amorim was brought in and Ashworth fell on his sword - much to the amusement of Newcastle supporters.
Just days ago, Howe told the Red Devils they had hired a top-level operator in Ashworth. He told Simon Jordan: “He is a really smart guy (who is) very well organised. Dan’s biggest strength is he looks at things from top to bottom.
"He is a really good problem-solver and will work his way through things from a structural viewpoint and then rebuild them. I got on really well with him, got on well with him and I was sad to see him go. But I also understood his viewpoint and wish him well.”
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