Manchester United’s new sporting director Dan Ashworth has promised new co-owners Ineos will ‘not rest’ until they have led the club back to the pinnacle of English football.
Ashworth admitted manager Erik ten Hag and his players had fallen well below expectations last season despite winning the FA Cup, and warned that success on the pitch was the club’s overriding priority under Ineos.
The 53-year-old, who joined United’s new leadership team this summer from Newcastle, will work alongside chief executive Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox and interim director of recruitment Christopher Vivell.
Ashworth said: ‘This remains one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but that is not our measure of success. The focus is on getting back to being among the best on the pitch.
‘It won’t happen overnight, but together with Omar and his new leadership team, we will not rest until we have achieved it.
Dan Ashworth has addressed Man United fans for the first time since assuming his role as the club’s sporting director
The 53-year-old is determined to help manager Erik ten Hag take United back to the top of English football
‘By winning the FA Cup in such impressive fashion, our players and staff showed what they are capable of.
‘Our challenge is to reach those levels much more consistently.
‘It’s my job, together with Jason, to create the right support structures around Erik, the staff and players to make that possible.’
Ashworth was immediately earmarked as a top target for United’s Ineos ownership after they assumed controls of football operations at the club, with the 13-time Premier League champions having to negotiate a deal with Newcastle.
The former non-league footballer had earned admirers from across the Premier League thanks to his spells at the FA, Brighton and Newcastle.
Ashworth admitted United fell below standards as they finished eighth in the Premier League last season
The deal finally got over the line earlier this month with the two clubs finally agreeing a compromise over compensation.
Ashworth is just one of several new additions to United’s leadership structure since the Ineos takeover, and he insisted that the club’s new-look staff are fully behind manager Erik ten Hag.
