Every signing Manchester United made under Dan Ashworth RANKED
The Red Devils decided to fire their Sporting Director after just five months into the job
Only five months after Dan Ashworth started his job at Old Trafford, Manchester United has chosen to fire him.
Earlier this year, Manchester United spent £3 million in compensation to get Ashworth from Newcastle, but the deal hasn’t gone as intended. The five first-team additions that United made while Ashworth was at Old Trafford are ranked below.
5. Joshua Zirkzee
Zirkzee, the first acquisition of the INEOS era, was a standout player for Bologna the previous season before completing a £36.5 million transfer to Manchester United.
According to sources, Ashworth’s staff used data analytics to force the transaction because Erik ten Hag didn’t want to purchase the Netherlands international.
Coming off the bench and grabbing the winning goal against Fulham on his debut, the 6′ 4 striker had an incredible start to his United career.
However, he struggled to adjust to the rapid pace and pressure of the Premier League and embarked on a 17-game goal drought following that victory. Under new boss Ruben Amorim, the 23-year-old has improved, and he scored two goals in a 4-0 victory over Everton.
4. Matthijs de Ligt
Ten Hag recognized the 25-year-old centre-back as a key summer transfer target after working with De Ligt at Ajax. After accepting to pay Bayern Munich £38.5 million up front and a further £4.3 million in possible add-ons, United were able to sign him.
According to reports, Ashworth approved the move to demonstrate his support for the manager even though he believed United already had a good number of centre-backs.
He started 16 of United’s 22 games in all competitions in 2024–2025 and has been a mainstay under Ten Hag, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, and Ruben Amorim.
3. Manuel Ugarte
Ten Hag desired to either sign Sander Berge from Burnley or convert Sofyan Amrabat’s loan move into a permanent contract.
However, United persisted in their pursuit of Manuel Ugarte during the summer transfer window and ultimately consented to pay Paris Saint-Germain £42.1 million upfront, with an additional £8.4 million in possible add-ons.
The 23-year-old has played in all four of Amorim’s Premier League games and is beginning to regain his peak form, but he has yet to live up to his price tag.
2. Leny Yoro
Leny Yoro, the priciest player on this list, came to Manchester United from Lille for an initial £52.1 million plus an additional £6.7 million in possible add-ons.
Given that the centre-back had previously been linked to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool, the acquisition was viewed as a major victory for United.
He has only made two first-team outings this season after breaking his metatarsal during the team’s preseason tour of the United States.
However, the 19-year-old has every quality needed for a contemporary centre-back and has the potential to be a fantastic long-term addition.
1. Noussair Mazraoui
Noussair Mazraoui was bought by Manchester United as an immediate replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the club paid an initial £12.8 million plus possible add-ons of £4.3 million.
In the first half of the 2024–25 season, he was United’s most impressive player, and in November, he was named Player of the Month.
Playing as a centre-back in Amorim’s back three and as a right and left back in a back four, the Morocco international has proven his dependability and adaptability.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.