Manchester United plot next key appointment from Dan Ashworth wishlist

Manchester United reportedly have their first bit of recruitment under incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth in a move that would reunite him with one of his most trusted lieutenants.

That’s according to The Sun, who report that United will look to make an approach to Chelsea’s chief analyst, Kyle Macauley.

Ashworth knows Macauley well from the time the pair spent together at Brighton and Hove Albion, where their excellent work in the transfer market helped establish the Seagulls as a top-half Premier League side.

That earned both men moves to bigger clubs, with Ashworth departing for Newcastle United in 2022 and Macauley joining Chelsea later that year alongside manager Graham Potter.

Ashworth looks set to make the move down from the north east to Old Trafford as the club try to revive their fortunes under new 25% owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whose partial takeover of the club was completed earlier this week.

The Sun add that Ipswich Town technical director Sam Williams is also on United’s wishlist as part of a new-look recruitment team that would be overseen by Ashworth should he make the move.

Newly-promoted Ipswich are enjoying an unexpectedly excellent season in the Championship this season.

They currently sit in fourth place, just three points off the automatic promotion places with a game in hand, which they will contest at home to rock-bottom Rotherham United.

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