Dan Ashworth: Man Utd sporting director leaves after just five months

The news is an embarrassment for United.

As recently as February, Ratcliffe expressed his frustration at being made to wait to bring Ashworth to Old Trafford as Newcastle held out for compensation.

In the end, United paid £3m for Ashworth, who ended up on gardening leave for the same amount of time he was actually in post at United.

The precise reasons for Ashworth’s exit have not been explained.

Club sources say the decision was difficult but was made collaboratively following a period of transition, with the new ownership still trying to work out the best structure for the club.

Critics of Ratcliffe will point to the cost of this decision – and the sacking of manager Ten Hag just months after he was given a contract extension, followed by the subsequent hiring of Amorim as head coach – as evidence of flawed thinking.

In total, appointing Amorim and Ashworth and sacking Ten Hag has cost the club nearly £25m.

On Saturday, Ratcliffe had to justify raising ticket prices to £66, without concessions, on the basis he needed to raise as much money as possible to spend on the first team.