Manchester United paid a total of £4.1m to hire and fire Dan Ashworth as sporting director, according to the club's latest accounts.
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Former England sporting director hired last summerHe was sacked after five monthsClub lost huge amount due to foreign exchange changesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The staggering waste of money United made to have Ashworth in the role for just five months was revealed in the club's latest financial figures. The release stated: "Exceptional items for the quarter were a cost of £14.5 million ($18m). This relates to costs associated with the departure of former men’s first team manager Erik ten Hag and various members of football staff." Previous accounts showed that the club spent £10.4m ($13m) to sack Ten Hag and the rest of his coaching staff in October, meaning that the club spent £4.1m ($5m) in total to release Ashworth from his contract with Newcastle and hire him in July before firing him in December.
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The Red Devils' co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had hailed Ashworth as "a 10/10 sporting director" while pursuing him but their relationship soon deteriorated after the sporting director told the media he had not had any say in the decision to keep Ten Hag in charge over the summer. It was widely reported that Ratcliffe was disappointed with Ashworth's recommendations for the Dutchman's successor, favouring the appointment of an English coach such as Gareth Southgate or Graham Potter. The club's CEO Omar Berrada instead led the move to appoint Ruben Amorim and Ashworth did not make any statement when the Portuguese was unveiled.
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The accounts show that United were forced to pay £37.6m in net finance costs compared to just £0.3m from the previous year. This was due to "an unfavorable swing in foreign exchange rates". The club also experienced a 12 per cent drop in revenue due to the decline in broadcasting revenue after missing out on Champions League qualification. However, United increased commercial revenue by 18 per cent, driven by its new shirt sponsorship deal with Snapdragon.
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The accounts stated that the club "remains committed to, and in compliance with, both the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules and UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations". The club's balance sheet was also strengthened by an £80m cash investment from Ratcliffe's INEOS group. A club source said the results "demonstrate the underlying operational strength of the club, while highlighting the financial challenges we are facing".