Source: REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff
[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth is in talks with the Football Association (FA) about returning to the organization in an executive role. The 54-year-old Ashworth was poached by Manchester United from Newcastle, but after just five months in the role, he was dismissed by the Inflex Group. After his surprising departure from Manchester United, Ashworth became a high-profile executive candidate for several clubs, including Arsenal’s sporting director position. Between 2012 and 2018, Ashworth was a key figure at the FA, initially serving as the Head of Elite Development and later becoming the head of the entire football department at St George’s Park. Reports suggest that if the deal is agreed, Ashworth will oversee the FA’s newly proposed “St George’s Park 2.0 project,” which will involve a complete renovation of the infrastructure. During Ashworth’s time at the FA, England’s U17 and U20 teams both won world championships in 2017, and the U19 team won the European Championship the same year. In his final year at the FA, the England senior team reached the World Cup semifinals, and the England youth system also helped the national team reach two European Championship finals.