Man United news: Ashworth 'in talks to agree surprise deal'

03/26/2025 02:00 AM

Dan Ashworth is surprisingly in line to take up one of his former positions barely four months on from his Manchester United departure.

Jim Ratcliffe and United’s other higher-ups were left with egg on their collective faces when Ashworth left Old Trafford five months after arriving as the Red Devils’ new sporting director in July 2024.

Ashworth’s sacking cost INEOS £4.1million after United spent months attempting to free the 54-year-old of his contract at Newcastle, having held the sporting director position at St. James’ Park since 2022.

Having dismissed the enture pursuit and hiring process as a mistake – albeit a costly one – United are yet to appoint a new sporting director, whereas Ashworth is already preparing himself for a return to work.

Ashworth ‘in talks’ with FA over return to England setup

United plucking Ashworth from St. James’ Park was seen as a coup given his track record in the game, having helped to usher in successful eras for Newcastle, Brighton, and the FA during his spells there.

After his time at Old Trafford didn’t work out – to say the least – the FA and Ashworth are now “in discussions” over a possible return to English football’s governing body, albeit in a more senior role.

According to The Telegraph (25 March), talks with Ashworth began “far ahead” of Thomas Tuchel’s first matches in charge of the national team, and he’s expected to oversee the ‘St. George’s Park 2.0’ project.

The “radical refurbishment” of England’s training facility would therefore be led by Ashworth, as well as their former Director of Elite Development taking charge of junior and senior men’s and women’s teams.

Manchester United still reeling from Dan Ashworth fiasco

Given the lengths they went to just to appoint him, Ashworth’s chaotic and unsuccessful five-month spell at Old Trafford was a microcosm of the failures United have experienced over the last 12 years or so.

Arguably the last of football’s giants to finally seek out and appoint a first-rate sporting director, the Red Devils resorting to sacking him months later highlights just how behind the times they are at the moment.

United’s pain could prove to be the FA and England’s gain once again if Ashworth’s return is confirmed, and given the growing success of England’s national teams in the last 10 years, another spell of success – away from Old Traffrod – could well be in the pipeline.

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