Gary Neville has made a “hopeful” prediction surrounding Dan Ashworth’s appointment as Manchester United’s new sporting director at Old Trafford.
While Manchester United are set to make a host of big changes in the squad this summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team, new co-owners at the club, are doing the same upstairs at Old Trafford.
Omar Berrada is set to start as the club’s new CEO within the next two weeks, while Jason Wilcox has already been working as technical director. Dan Ashworth, formerly of Newcastle, has now joined United as the club’s new sporting director.
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Gary Neville, former club captain and legend, has predicted that Ashworth will introduce a more “measured” approach to transfer negotiations and general day-to-day business at United.
“What I am hopeful of is that all of the appointments that have been made in and around Erik ten Hag… obviously a new CEO, Dan Ashworth, who I think does bring composure,” Neville said on Sky Sports.
“I think he also deserves a mention in respect of the performances of this England team over the last few years.
“He was one of the key people in building the foundations of this new England look. You won’t get another situation, I don’t think, with Dan Ashworth there and the other people whereby United are panicking in the transfer window and shooting from the hip like they have done in years gone by.
“I think it will be quite measured. I think if they can’t get who they want, they won’t buy anyone. I think they will make sure they’re quite focused and precise in what they do moving forward.
“That should give Erik ten Hag more stability and better advice around him and more experience, which hopefully will help him.”
Ratcliffe himself has explained how important Ashworth will be alongside Wilcox and Berrada.
“I’m not confident that we’ll solve all the problems in the first transfer window, no,” he said prior to Ashworth’s appointment. “It will take time.”
He continued: “Bear in mind from what I was just saying, Omar, Dan, Jason, who are the sort of key pillars of the sports side, they’re not all in place.
“We’ve only got Jason in place, so we’re sort of a bit handicapped in that sense. So, I think we’ll do a fairly good job, but we’re not going to answer all the problems this first season. It will take two or three summer windows to get to a better place.”
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