Ashworth's four-man Man Utd shortlist that saw three signed with mixed results

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Dan Ashworth was appointed Manchester United's sporting director last summer and had drawn up a list of four key players he wanted to sign for then-manager Erik ten Hag
Dan Ashworth's tenure as Manchester United 's sporting director was a short-lived one, ending in disaster within just a few months. Ashworth was a prime target for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who had to patiently wait over four months for him to officially commence his role due to being placed on gardening leave by his previous club, Newcastle United.
It was on the 1st of July last year that Ashworth formally joined the Red Devils and immediately embarked on an ambitious recruitment campaign for then-manager Erik ten Hag, following United's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
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As per the Daily Mail, Ashworth had his sights set on four specific players, managing to secure three of them last summer – with the exception of Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite. A £35million offer for him was turned down by the Toffees a year ago, leading them to explore other alternatives, reports the Manchester Evening News.
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One of those other players was well-acquainted with Ten Hag, who was eager to reunite with. United shelled out £42m to bring former Ajax ace Matthijs De Ligt in from Bayern Munich.
In a bid to provide Rasmus Hojlund with some assistance at the opposite end of the pitch, Ashworth activated Joshua Zirkzee's £34m buyout clause from Bologna after the Dutchman had aided the club in securing Champions League football for the first time in nearly six decades.
Eager to bolster their defensive midfield – with Casemiro failing to replicate his Real Madrid form at the time – United sanctioned a move for Manuel Ugarte, who Paris Saint-Germain were willing to offload after just one season.
A £40m offer was enough to secure the former Sporting CP star's services, eventually reuniting him with Ruben Amorim following the Portuguese boss' appointment as Ten Hag's successor last November.
However, Ashworth departed United in December, before he could witness the outcome of his efforts. Over four months of the season had already elapsed upon Ashworth's exit and the performances of those three players left much to be desired.
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Despite De Ligt earning a formidable reputation in Europe since his teen years, he initially struggled to find his footing in Manchester's defence. While United endured a lacklustre season under Amorim, the Dutchman gradually found his rhythm in defence, sparking hopes among United fans that he will remain a key figure in their backline for years to come.
The same optimism doesn't extend to Zirkzee, whose underwhelming presence has led United to continue their search for a striker to address their goalscoring issues – a role the former Bayern Munich forward was expected to fulfil.
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The 24-year-old has only managed to net seven goals in 49 matches across all competitions, with a mere three coming from Premier League games.
His future at the club could be up in the air if Amorim succeeds in attracting ex-Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, despite Arsenal showing strong interest. Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins is also on United's current watchlist.
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As for Ugarte, the 24-year-old excels in tackling and regaining possession, typical traits of a defensive midfielder. However, he faced criticism last season due to his lack of forward play, with supporters arguing that his passing skills and athleticism are severely lacking.
Amorim faces a colossal task ahead of the 2025/26 season, and it's yet to be seen what role these three players will have in United's future.
And it seems unlikely that Ashworth's full quartet will be completed anytime soon. Branthwaite has recently signed a new contract with Everton under ex-United manager David Moyes.
The England international, now reportedly valued at around £70m, inked a new five-year deal earlier this week.