Former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth looks set to join a rival club

Arsenal is actively pursuing Dan Ashworth following his unexpected departure from Manchester United. Ashworth's brief five-month tenure at Old Trafford came to a decisive end on Sunday after a series of disputes with senior management resulted in his dismissal by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

There is potential for him to take on another prominent role, as Arsenal is considering him as a candidate for their new sporting director position, as per ESPN. 

Ashworth to join Arsenal 

Ashworth has now been included on Arsenal's shortlist of candidates, with managing director Richard Garlick overseeing the appointment process. It's worth noting that Ashworth and Garlick have a history of successful collaboration from their time together at West Bromwich Albion before Ashworth transitioned to the FA.

The Gunners are actively seeking a replacement for Edu following his announcement of departure from the club last month.

Edu, a member of Arsenal's legendary Invincibles team, returned to the club in 2019 and has played a pivotal role alongside Mikel Arteta in transforming Arsenal into a serious title contender once again.

However, he is set to take charge of Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' ambitious multi-club project, which involves overseeing operations at Forest, Olympiacos, and Rio Ave.

Edu's departure came as a surprise, and Arsenal is now actively seeking his successor. Ashworth is being considered for the role, despite his previous challenges at United.

While Ashworth's tenure at United was brief, it provided valuable insights into the complexities of club dynamics. It has been noted that part-owner Ratcliffe was frustrated by Ashworth's assertion that he played no role in Erik ten Hag's decision to remain at the club and receive a new contract over the summer.

"Dan Ashworth is clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world,’ he said in February. ‘I have no doubt he is a very capable person. He is interested in Manchester United because it’s the biggest challenge at the biggest club in the world." Ratcliffe said