Manchester United’s Sporting Director, Dan Ashworth, has departed from his role after just five months in the position.
Ashworth, who officially assumed his duties at Old Trafford on July 1 following a five-month gardening leave from his previous club, Newcastle, finalized his exit after a meeting held in the wake of United’s 3-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The 53-year-old’s departure was first reported by The Athletic on Sunday, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
A United statement said the decision was by “mutual agreement”, adding: “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.”
Ashworth was seen walking through the press conference room with the club’s chief operating officer Collette Roche after the Forest match.
It is understood he was on his way to a meeting where his exit was confirmed.
United have had a disappointing season so far, sacking manager Erik ten Hag in October after just three wins from their opening nine Premier League matches.
The club later revealed it spent £10.4 million on severance payments for Erik ten Hag and his staff, while an additional £11 million was required to activate the release clause for his successor, Ruben Amorim.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has faced criticism from fans for discontinuing concessions on the 3% of tickets that typically go unsold for Premier League matches, introducing a minimum ticket price of £66 instead.
This decision sparked protests at Old Trafford before last weekend’s victory over Everton.
Ratcliffe has acknowledged the club’s decline into “mediocrity” and cautioned that further “difficult and unpopular decisions” will be necessary.
In financial reports for the period ending June 30, 2024, United disclosed a net loss of £113.2 million, bringing total losses over the past five years to over £370 million.
Since then, the club has parted ways with Ten Hag, appointed Amorim, and endured a challenging season, with the recent loss to Nottingham Forest leaving them 13th in the Premier League with just five wins from 15 matches.