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Manchester United’s latest financial figures show former sporting director Dan Ashworth was given a £4.1million pay-off despite working at Old Trafford for just 159 days.
The details were revealed this morning when United’s quarterly accounts were submitted to the New York Stock Exchange.
It was already known United paid £10.4m in compensation to former boss Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff when the Dutchman was sacked in October, just three-and-a-half months after signing a one-year contract extension.
An expensive mistake?
But the hiring and firing of Ashworth was the noteworthy inclusion today given the enormous cost of his short stint at the club.
Ashworth started at United on July 1, 2024, having spent five months on gardening leave at former club Newcastle, and only after Sir Jim Ratcliffe had settled a long-running compensation battle with the Tyneside club after agreeing to pay £5m.
He was dismissed on December 8, shortly after United had suffered a 3-2 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest as cracks continued to appear in a United squad that Ratcliffe invested in heavily over the summer.
The revelation that Ashworth cost the club £9m before wages are taken into account comes at a bad time for Ratcliffe as he continues to take unpopular cost-cutting measures.
Over 200 people have been made redundant since Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7 per cent minority share purchase in United in February last year.
Today’s figures also revealed broadcasting revenue plunged by 42.1 per cent year-on-year to £61.6m due to the club missing out on Champions League qualification this season and instead competing in the Europa League.
Berrada focusing on the positives
United CEO Omar Berrada insisted there was still reasons for optimism – pointing out the positive work going on at the club – and stressed the main priority was improving results on the field with United’s men’s team sitting in 15th place in the Premier League.
For the final time at Goodison Park 🔜⏳#MUFC || @Betfred pic.twitter.com/TSs3RoMoj5
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 19, 2025
He said: “We recognise the challenges in improving our men’s team’s league position and we are all working hard, collectively, to achieve that. At the same time, we are pleased to have progressed to the knock-out phase of the UEFA Europa League and the fifth round of the FA Cup.
”Meanwhile, our women’s team is currently placed second in the Women’s Super League, and has reached the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.
“Our redevelopment of the Carrington Training Complex remains on track. We continue to work towards a decision on the future of Old Trafford as part of a wider regeneration programme, which has now attracted UK Government support. This follows the work of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force in demonstrating the significant economic potential of a revitalised area around a future stadium project.”
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