Manchester United plot next key appointment from Dan Ashworth wishlist

General view of Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United vs West Ham in February 2024.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

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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Meanwhile, Tel isn't the only Bayern player being linked with a switch to Old Trafford: Harry Kane has been tipped for a sensational exit.

And the Red Devils could swoop for a £103m European starlet this summer.

Steven Chicken

Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.