Huge amount of money Man Utd spent on compensation fee as Dan Ashworth axed

Manchester United have split with Dan Ashworth a mere five months after spending millions to lure him from Newcastle United.

The sporting director has departed the Premier League club following United's disappointing 3-2 home defeat by Nottingham Forest on Saturday. His departure was agreed upon in a meeting with chief executive Omar Berrada following the loss.

Ashworth officially joined United on July 1, after an extended gardening leave period at his former club Newcastle, with the Red Devils agreeing to a compensation package estimated at around £2-£3million.

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The final sum received by the Magpies was a far cry from the initial £20m they demanded to release Ashworth, but this figure was quickly reduced to £10m due to the club's PSR issues.

United remained firm on not paying these high amounts, eventually settling on a significantly smaller figure, which allowed the former England chief to commence his new role in Manchester, reports the Mirror.

Ashworth played a crucial part in United's recruitment over the summer, which saw the club spend £200m on Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

However, slow starts from players like Zirkzee, Ugarte, and De Ligt have led to criticism of United's transfer dealings, a common theme at the club since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

The future of Manchester United's sporting director role remains uncertain as Ashworth's early departure raises questions about further compensation and his successor. The club may face a hefty