Sir Jim Ratcliffe's structure at Manchester United is shaping up - this is how it will look

John Murtough is leaving his role as Manchester United's football director and how the club's structure will look following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment is taking shape.

The announcement of Ratcliffe's agreement to acquire a minority stake at Old Trafford came during the festive period and was subsequently ratified by the Premier League in February. Sources indicated radical changes to the footballing structure would follow and Omar Berrada was poached from Manchester City to become the club's new CEO.

The appointment of Berrada, who speaks four languages, was the first step in assembling a best-in-class hierarchy and approaches for Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox came next. Ratcliffe had earmarked Ashworth as his only target for an inaugural sporting director role at United and the 52-year-old moved a step closer to being appointed in February when Newcastle announced he had commenced a period of gardening leave.

ALSO READ: Why Murtough is leaving his United football director role

ALSO READ: United football director Murtough set to leave Old Trafford

There's been a suggestion Ashworth's period of gardening leave will be at least 12 months and in the absence of compensation being paid, he could stay at Newcastle until 2026. United and Newcastle are negotiating over Ashworth and the North East club are set to remand hefty compensation for a sporting director who only joined them two years ago.

"We'll have to see how it unfolds," Ratcliffe said about Ashworth. "What I do think is completely absurd, is suggesting a man who is really good at his job sits in his garden for one and a half years."

"We had a very grown-up conversation with City about Omar [Berrada]. When things got done we sorted it out very amicably. They