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Manchester United supremo Dan Ashworth axed after hierarchy fall out, details revealed
TBR Football understands that INEOS boss and Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe took the decision to part ways with Dan Ashworth.
Ratcliffe instigated Ashworth’s departure which the club are insisting is ‘mutual’ but we are told by sources that the former Football Association and Brighton & Hove Albion supremo was left with little option.
53-year-old Ashworth had only been at United for five-months, but Ratcliffe was not happy and following talks with his closest sporting confidants Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc, both of whom are on the board at the club and INEOS, the decision was taken to make the change.
Ashworth officially started work in July, following a prolonged battle to land him from rivals Newcastle.
United had first made moves in early 2024 before Ashworth was placed on gardening leave after he confirmed he wanted to move to join the Red Devils. A deal was struck that saw Ratcliffe agree to pay substantial compensation but now things have come to an abrupt end.
INEOS supremo Sir Jim Ratcliffe makes decision to Ashworth
Sources have confirmed to TBR Football that Ratcliffe was left unhappy with Ashworth following the decision to keep Erik Ten Hag. The new footballing department, headed by Ashworth, was deemed to have made the joint decision to keep the Dutchman.
However, Ratcliffe believes Ashworth attempted to avoid being complicit in the decision to keep Ten Hag and hand him a new deal, which was made to look all the move strange after they sacked the Dutchman in November.
Brailsford had been one of those who assessed Ashworth in the first place and the two knew each other prior to his arrival, but the former Team GB Olympic chief was understood to be fully behind the decision to make the move.
Internal issues around departure including role of Berrada
We are also told there were some internal disagreements which centered around Ashworth and the role of CEO Omar Berrada.
With Ashworth leaving, it means that technical director Jason Wilcox – who is held in very high regard, will step up and work with Berrada in the short-term.
The two former Manchester City men, arrived prior to Ashworth, and are known to work well together and there is a possibility United do not add a straight replacement for Ashworth.
Christopher Vivell, the club’s interim director of recruitment, is also being considered for a more permanent role within the system.