Dan Ashworth leaving Manchester United is 'bad situation' but 'doesn't change anything', says manager Ruben Amorim

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Ruben Amorim has opened up about Dan Ashworth's Manchester United departure. The sporting director made a shock exit after the 3-2 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest, just five months after arriving at Old Trafford from Newcastle United. Amorim admitted it is "not the best situation" but insists Ashworth leaving the club "doesn't change anything" in the club's rebuilding process.

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Ruben Amorim insists Dan Ashworth's Old Trafford departure "doesn't change anything" at Manchester United.

Ashworth left his position as sporting director just five months after taking on the role, which he took after joining from Newcastle United.

His exit meant he got little time to build a relationship with new Man United boss Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag in the dugout last month.

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Amorim admitted it is a far from ideal situation, but said that Ashworth's departure cannot detract from what he is trying to build after arriving from Sporting CP.

"This is football and sometimes this happens, happens with players, with coaches," he said ahead of Thursday's UEFA Europa League clash against Viktoria Plzen - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

"I know it's not the best situation, but the important thing is we continue in our way. The path is really clear for everybody and I think this can happen in football.

When drawn on whether the club is more unstable than when he joined, Amorim said: "I don't think so. I felt since day one the support from everybody. One person leaving doesn't change anything.

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"Of course, it's a bad situation. Like I said, we are talking about a human being, a professional, that supports us as a team, but I think the most important thing is the vision is really clear and that doesn't change if one person leaves."

Ashworth arrived at Old Trafford in July, with the Red Devils reportedly having long-coveted his services while he was at Newcastle.

But a 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday proved to be his final match as a club employee.

The defeat left The Red Devils languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, eight points off a UEFA Champions League qualification place.

Speaking of how he wants to take the club forward, Amorim continued: "In this way, we have to make changes because of the context.

"Because you don't have results, you could change the coach... so you can have a vision, but sometimes you make a slight change of direction to find the same goal, so this could happen in football.

"We are focused on winning the Premier League, that is the main goal."

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