Ashworth leaves Man U after less than six months as sporting director

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

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 yesterday – the morning after a 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest left the club 13th in the English 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 US$1.3 billion for a 27.7 per cent stake in the storied club in February.

Ashworth, one of the most highly regarded sporting directors in football, was hired from Premier League rivals 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 of 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 champions’ football department when buying a minority share in the club from US owners the Glazer family.

Ratcliffe set himself a bold target of returning United to the summit of English and European football, 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.