Dan Ashworth's best Manchester United signing wasn't even his idea to begin with

Manchester United supporters would have been forgiven for thinking that Ruud van Nistelrooy's departure from Old Trafford last month would be the last to take place in 2024.

There was an assumption now that Erik ten Hag was gone, United were now on the same page off the pitch and better placed to push for a return towards the Champions League spots. However, it appears that assumption was premature.

Instead, United find themselves more at odds off the pitch than ever before in the Ineos era. Dan Ashworth's untimely exit just over five months since he was appointed has sent shockwaves around the fanbase and left many puzzled.

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Perhaps the biggest question that needs answering by Ashworth and United is, why now? From the club's perspective, losing your sporting director so soon after he was appointed looks like bad recruitment on your part.

For Ashworth, why did he decide not to stay at United long enough to mend his reputation? When he initially joined the club, Sir Jim Ratcliffe hailed him as being 'best in class,' and few were able to disagree with that assessment.

The work he did with Newcastle and Brighton, as well as the FA, was all impeccable. However, his first summer transfer window at United seemed lacklustre at best considering their start to the season.

Ashworth's lasting legacy at the Theatre of Dreams will be that window and there has not been much to smile about on that front. Perhaps the best signing to come from it was that of Noussair Mazraoui.

However, he cannot take credit for the Moroccan. Ten Hag was the one who knew Mazraoui from his time at Ajax and saw the opportunity to snap him up