DAN ASHWORTH has landed a big new job after a disaster spell at Manchester United.
Ashworth, 54, arrived at Old Trafford to great fanfare in the summer of 2024 to work alongside Erik ten Hag.
United had put in plenty of work to get him out of his role at Newcastle United, in the hope that the Englishman could revolutionise their recruitment strategy.
However, things did not work out for United or Ashworth, with the Red Devils languishing in 16th in the Premier League table, and Ashworth leaving the club in December.
The Englishman had been in his role for just five months.
However, it seems as though he is set for a return to familiar surroundings.
He is lined up for a new role at the Football Association, leading the football side of the operation, according to reports.
It means a return to the governing body for Ashworth, who was there from 2012 to 2018 as the director of elite development.
He then moved to Brighton and Hove Albion as technical director, before Newcastle snapped him up as director of football in 2022.
He was appointed at United in July last year, but had his contract terminated in December, reportedly costing the club £4.1 million, according to their quarterly accounts.
It was reported that the reasoning behind Ashworth’s premature departure from United came as a result of disagreements with fellow board members.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the United co-owner, was apparently crucial in the decision to relieve Ashworth of his duties, along with CEO Omar Berrada, who Ashworth reported to.
In his tenure at United, Ashworth oversaw another mass incoming of players to Old Trafford.
He brought in players familiar to Ten Hag, the manager at the time, bringing in Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, who had played under ten Hag at Ajax.
The Red Devils also signed Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, and Leny Yoro in a summer spending spree that eclipsed £200 million.
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