Dan Ashworth exit makes controversial Sir Jim Ratcliffe decision even more embarrassing

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is approaching one year as Manchester United co-owner and he has already made several controversial decisions.

The latest being Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to part ways with sporting director Dan Ashworth.

According to The Athletic, Ashworth is set to leave his role at Manchester United just five months after he was appointed.

United spent millions in compensation to poach Ashworth from Newcastle. He spent four months on gardening leave, five months in the job and is now set to depart. A very strange decision.

Ratcliffe was “pivotal” to Ashworth’s exit, which suggests he has not settled in well in United’s new-look hierarchy.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial decisions as Man United co-owner

Ratcliffe has split opinion since taking minority control at Old Trafford.

Since his takeover, there has been a big push to try and lower costs at the club which started with Ratcliffe cutting 250 jobs at United. It is understood that the staff purge at United cost £10m.

A bold decision was then made when Ratcliffe ripped up Sir Alex Ferguson’s contract as a global club ambassador which saw the legendary United manager earn £2.16m.

Even more recently, Ratcliffe raised ticket prices to £66 in a move that infuriated the United fanbase, who sent a letter to CEO Omar Berrada branding it a “disgrace”.

Dan Ashworth exit makes ticket decision more embarrassing

Ratcliffe’s decision to increase ticket prices – regardless of age – to £66 was rightly slammed by fans who have loyally stuck behind United through thick and thin.

The latest decision to part ways with Ashworth – despite spending millions on his compensation – only makes the optics of the ticket pricing even more embarrassing.

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Forget the £200m spent on players in the summer, United have now spent in the tens of millions on sacking managers, directors and hiring new staff. The money earned from increased ticket prices would hardly put a dent in that figure.

Ratcliffe is quickly approaching the one-year anniversary of his United takeover, but his reputation during his first 12 months has taken a hit.