Five months after Sir Jim Ratcliffe described Dan Ashworth as one of the world’s best sporting directors and paid around £5 million to buy the former Brighton director free from Newcastle, Ashworth was dumped. After the totally surprising exit, one Italian sporting director in particular has been linked to United. On Sunday, the candidate will be available on the market.
Manchester United have paid dearly to buy free Ashworth, sack Ten Hag, buy free Amorim, then sack Ashworth. So free agent status is music to the ears of Ratcliffe and the INEOS gang who are running a cost-cutting regime.
The sporting director, who has been linked to the United job since Ashworth’s departure from Old Trafford, is a highly successful Italian with 11 years of experience at Atletico Madrid.
Since 2017, Andrea Berta has had the role of sports director, before that scout and technical director. On Sunday, Atletico Madrid confirmed that the club and Berta are suspending their working relationship.
With Berta as sporting director and Diego Simeone as coach, Atletico Madrid have given the club great success with vouchers on Champons League ticket, Europa League title 2017/18 and La Liga title 2020/21.
Then we’ll see if free agent Berta finds her way to Old Trafford.
