Dan Ashworth was escorted out of Old Trafford last night (Image: Getty)
reign as sporting director has come to an end just five months after being hired, but he was granted a less-than-ceremonious exit from Old Trafford.
Having been head-hunted by , Ashworth was one of several high-profile appointments made by the INEOS chief across the last year.
Alongside Ashworth, the likes of Omar Berrada (CEO), Jason Wilcox (technical director) and Christopher Vivell (director of recruitment) were all ushered in to make up .
The final piece in the jigsaw puzzle, or so it seemed, was the recently hired , but following Ashworth’s departure, it appears the house of cards has already started tumbling.
The ex- United man’s exit has highlighted some unwanted cracks in the INEOS project, with the 53-year-old’s exit speaking volumes about his relationship with the United board.
According to , Ashworth was escorted through the press conference room inside the underbelly of Old Trafford following United’s disappointing defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday night.
The weather outside was dismal, with the soggy remnants of Storm Darragh having made for hostile conditions during the 3-2 defeat.
But the looks on Ashworth’s face was even worse. By this point, his fate was likely already sealed.
Ashworth was said to have been accompanied by Colette Roche, a senior HR executive at the Red Devils, as well as a security official.
The scramble for United’s next sporting director is likely already underway.
Ashworth’s exit was confirmed by United on Sunday morning, with the club releasing a short 41-word statement.
It read: “Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of by mutual agreement.
“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.”
The true effect of Ashworth’s time in charge won’t be felt immediately, but he certainly left a tangible impact.
Ashworth was said to have been one of the driving forces behind keeping – and subsequently backing – during the summer – a decision that was said to have annoyed INEOS bigwig Ratcliffe.
Then came the summer transfer window, with over £170m spent on players to suit Ten Hag’s style of play, only for the Dutchman to be sacked three months into the campaign.
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