Dan Ashworth makes reassuring Manchester United promise after Sir Jim Ratcliffe controversy

Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth has insisted "delivering a successful women's team" ranks highly on his priority list, despite the club having recently come under fire for their treatment of Marc Skinner's side.

The Reds finished fifth in the Women's Super League (WSL) last term, missing out on European qualification and winning just 10 of their 22 league games. A number of high-profile players, including England goalkeeper Mary Earps and captain Katie Zelem, have left the club this summer, while co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe sparked controversy when he admitted plans for the women's team were "TBC".

Fan frustration was further compounded when it emerged Skinner's side were set to be moved out of their state-of-the-art training facility to accommodate the men's team while a £50m refurbishment of their Carrington facilities was underway. However, the long-awaited arrival of Ashworth from Newcastle could be exactly what United Women need to progress next term.

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Addressing the Carrington revamp in an open letter to supporters on Monday, Ashworth said: "There are also changes to the physical environment at Carrington as work commences on our season-long £50 million redevelopment of the training ground – evidence of our commitment to improving the club’s infrastructure.

“This will require some adaptation this season, but all our teams – men’s, women’s and academy – will maintain access to high-quality facilities, with the promise of a fully refreshed, world-class site once the project is completed."

On his vision for Skinner's side, Ashworth added: “Delivering a successful