MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) — Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth is leaving
the club by mutual agreement, less than six months after taking over the role
as part of an overhaul by minority owner Jim Ratcliffe.
United announced his departure on Sunday — the morning after
a 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest left the club 13th in the Premier League
standings and eight points adrift of the top four.
“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,” United
said in a statement. It did not disclose plans to replace Ashworth, who was one
of the big hires under Ratcliffe after the British billionaire paid $1.3
billion for a 27.7% stake in the storied club in February.
Ashworth, one of the most highly regarded sporting directors
in soccer, was hired from Premier League rival Newcastle and had to serve a
period of gardening leave during months of negotiations before taking up his
new role in July.
Along with new chief executive Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox
as technical director, he was one three appointments seen as key to Ratcliffe's
overhaul.
But on-field progress has been slow, with manager Erik ten
Hag fired in October after the club made its worst start to a season in the
Premier League era.
Ruben Amorim was hired from Sporting Lisbon and the defeat
to Forest was United's second in successive matches.
United spent more than $200 million on transfers in the
offseason, but many of those signings have failed to impress so far.
Ratcliffe, one of Britain's richest people, is the owner of
petrochemicals giant INEOS and a lifelong United fan.
He assumed control of the 20-time league champion's soccer
department when buying a minority share in the club from U.S. owner the Glazer
family.
Ratcliffe set himself a bold target of returning United to
the summit of English and European soccer, but it looks like being another
troubled season for the team that has not won the title since former manager
Alex Ferguson's final season in 2013.
