DAN AND DUSTED
Man Utd’s Dan Ashworth farce gets even worse as it’s revealed how much they really paid for ex-Newcastle chief
Ashworth's short-term successor has been revealed
THE fee that Manchester United paid to hire Dan Ashworth has been revealed - and it's MORE than initially expected.
Ashworth left United over the weekend following showdown talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co.
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A statement read: "Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of Manchester United 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."
Ashworth joined the Red Devils in July following a period of gardening leave.
He was put on leave by former club Newcastle at the start of the year after stating his desire to move elsewhere.
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Man Utd subsequently had to pay compensation to the Magpies in order to appoint the 53-year-old.
Initial reports suggested the fee was around £3million.
But according to it was closer to £5m - which equates to around £1m for every month he spent at the club.
Upon his arrival at Old Trafford, Ashworth was tasked with overseeing performance, recruitment and operations.
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He played a huge role in the club's £183million spending spree this summer, which saw Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs De Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui all join.
But a breakdown in his working relationship with members of the Man Utd board has cut his time short.
Ruben Amorim reacts to Man Utd's 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford
SunSport exclusively revealed last month that United's new hierarchy were locked in a blame game over their summer business.
It is understood there were growing tensions between Ashworth and his colleagues in the weeks leading up to his departure.
Technical director Jason Wilcox will take on his duties in the short term while a replacement is found.
Inside Man Utd chaos amid Ashworth departure
THE blame game has another victim as things go from bad to worse at Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s first sporting director, Dan Ashworth, arrived in the summer and is gone before Christmas.
SunSport exclusively revealed last month that there was trouble at mill.
That the new senior management team were already blaming each other for the mess the club were in.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and Ashworth were trying to wash their hands of it all, claiming they had arrived too late after serving their gardening leave.
New part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said making decisions was all down to them. Meanwhile, Jason Wilcox thought it was all a mess under previous boss Erik ten Hag but was part of the team that encouraged him to stay after every other candidate ran for cover.
There is word Ashworth did not favour appointing his successor and new head coach Ruben Amorim, preferring an English manager with more experience in our game. Perhaps that was why ex-England gaffer Gareth Southgate’s name was always mentioned after they worked together at the FA.
Either way, Saturday’s showing against Nottingham Forest, after their second-half capitulation at Arsenal a few days previously, proved too much.
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