Dan Ashworth suggests that he will make Man United U-Turn after controversial decision

Dan Ashworth has already suggested that he will make a U-Turn on one controversial decision at Manchester United.

Ashworth has officially become Manchester United’s new sporting director after reaching an agreement with Newcastle United.

Following a prolonged saga that appeared headed for arbitration, the clubs resolved the matter this week, enabling Ashworth to commence his duties at Old Trafford right away.

The 53-year-old will take on the leading role at United, collaborating with technical director Jason Wilcox. Omar Berrada will begin his role as chief executive in two weeks.

United and INEOS have already been making important decisions before the arrival of Ashworth but a few have been far less popular than others.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has admitted that his focus has not been on the women’s team so far, and that showed when the decision was made to move them back into portable cabins so that the men’s first team could use the new women’s team building at Carrington while theirs is being revamped for the 2024/25 campaign.

The £50 million project was confirmed last month and aims to deliver a ‘world-class football facility’, but it will mean that United will not be able to use the building throughout the next season.

This followed shortly after the club’s end-of-season awards ceremony was cancelled, and the women’s team players found out through a social media report. It has since been reported that the PFA are investigating the situation.

Ratcliffe has been criticised for the decisions involving the women’s team so far, but adjustments could start with Ashworth now that he is finally in the building.

The sporting director has already explained how much he values the women’s side of the game and how his job is all about making the club a cohesive unit going forward.

“The women’s team is something I took on at the FA and Brighton, and it’s something I’m really passionate about as well,” he explained when appointed by Newcastle in 2022.

“Absolutely, you know, the women’s team is an important part of the football club, and hopefully, as a club, we can help drive their aspirations and try and get them to a level that we’d all like them to be as well.

“People think the job of sporting director is all about recruitment, and it’s all about recruitment for the men’s first team. It isn’t. That’s a big part of it, of course. But it’s about all of the other things and just trying to get everybody working together from a technical point of view.”

After losing key players like Mary Earps and Lucía García in recent weeks, this will come as good news to those who follow the women’s team.

Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Thursday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.