Explained: Why Manchester United chose to part ways with Dan Ashworth after just five months

Dan Ashworth has left Manchester United.

Manchester United's decision to part ways with sporting director Dan Ashworth after just five months strikes as yet another disappointment.

Ashworth, who joined the club from Newcastle United back in July but after a brief period at Old Trafford, it was announced he would be the next departure in a move that has caused widespread confusion across the footballing world.

So where did it all go wrong for the 53-year-old and where could he go next, as the INEOS merry-go-round causes yet another bitter casualty at the Theatre of Dreams...

Dan Ashworth left Manchester United due to irreconcilable differences

Dan Ashworth spent just five months at Manchester United from July until December (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to The Atheltic, Ashworth's candidates to replace Erik ten Hag were of the same ilk and frankly underwhelming. The former Newcastle chief suggested Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and even Gareth Southgate before Omar Berrada took charge of the operation.

Berrada was instrumental in appointing new head coach Ruben Amorim, flying to Lisbon to speak to Sporting president Frederico Varandas face-to-face and agree to a deal quickly and directly.

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim was appointed as Erik ten Hag's successor (Image credit: Getty Images)

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also said to have been left frustrated, with the explainer piece stating how Ratcliffe felt Ashworth should have been much more assertive in targeting a new head coach and should have looked beyond those people he already knew.

Friction is also said to have emerged when Ashworth proposed to bring in a data company to evaluate the candidates to replace Ten Hag. Ratcliffe was not best pleased and is said to have been annoyed at the suggestion.

In his interview with fanzine United We Stand, Ratcliffe said: “Data analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here.”

The decision is said to have been communicated to the players at Carrington on Sunday, going through the turbulence and why Ashworth was removed from his position.

In FourFourTwo's view, the exit of Ashworth doesn't look good given the gardening period Manchester United had to wait to secure a move for the former Newcastle United director this summer.

Manchester United are in Europa League action on Thursday, as they travel to the Czech Republic to take on Viktoria Plzen.