Manchester United are anticipated to seek Dan Ashworth as the leading candidate for the position of director of football.
In his Daily Briefing, Fabrizio Romano confirmed: “We know Man United need a new director of football, and the plan remains to try to bring Dan Ashworth to the club in the next weeks.”
Still, several other possibilities are said to be under consideration, according to the Italian journalist, who added that it may take some time for the club to achieve the required leadership transition and create their summer transfer strategy.
The Peoples Person announced yesterday that several high-profile candidates are being considered for the position of football director.
Ashworth, Newcastle United’s current director of football, was mentioned, as were Paul Mitchell, Tottenham’s former head of recruiting, and Julian Ward, Liverpool’s former sporting director.
Other candidates are Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman, Atalanta’s Lee Congerton, Juventus’ Cristiano Giuntoli, and iconic defender Paolo Maldini, who stepped down as AC Milan’s technical director last year.
Still, several other possibilities are said to be under consideration, according to the Italian journalist, who added that it may take some time for the club to achieve the required leadership transition and create their summer transfer strategy.
While currently in charge of Newcastle’s football operations, Ashworth previously worked as technical director of Brighton & Hove Albion from 2019 to 2022, during which time the club rose from relegation battler to European challenger.
Of course, the Magpies have had recent success under Ashworth, as they qualified for the UEFA Champions League last season.
Ashworth’s excellent transfer plan at Newcastle has also earned him some favorable attention.
Still, United’s interest in Ashworth is unsurprising if recent reports are accurate.
In December, it was revealed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a huge fan of Ashworth, with the current Newcastle director of football regarded as a top contender for the position at Old Trafford.
Of course, the INEOS transformation at United is well started, with Omar Berrada appointed as the club’s new CEO earlier this month.
Given the rapid changes Ratcliffe and INEOS have implemented at United, it’s logical that fans will expect the new United co-owners to move quickly to bring in their latest executive hire.
