Manchester United are reportedly interested in appointing Athletic Bilbao sporting director Mikel Gonzalez as Dan Ashworth’s replacement.
Ashworth left his role as United’s maiden sporting director last year December after just five months in the job.
He officially started work at Old Trafford on 1 July, having spent five months on gardening leave at his former club Newcastle.
Ashworth was relieved of his duties after United’s 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe playing a crucial role in his dismissal.
An official club statement relayed that the parting of ways was “mutual.” A subsequent report claimed that Ashworth and some of the other members of United’s hierarchy, including Ratcliffe, did not see eye to eye on a number of issues including transfers and Erik ten Hag’s future in the immediate aftermath of last year’s FA Cup final.
United were linked with a move for former Atletico Madrid sporting director Andrea Berta.
Berta left Atletico Madrid on January 5 after 12 years of success alongside club boss Diego Simeone.
Now, Spanish news outlet El Chiringuito TV are reporting that the Red Devils are eyeing Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel Gonzalez.
“Manchester United are interested in Mikel Gonzalez, sporting director of Athletic Club. The English club is looking for a replacement for Dan Ashworth, who has been out of the club since December.”
El Chiringuito further note, “Although the interest is real, at Athletic Club they are sure that Mikel González is going to stay.”
😳 “Aunque el interés es real, en el Athletic Club están seguros de que Mikel González se va a quedar”.
ℹ️ La información de @nicorodrigz, sobre el interés del Manchester United en el director deportivo del conjunto rojiblanco. https://t.co/BQYzNNmvNO pic.twitter.com/1MeKbQ13WB
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) February 10, 2025
Gonzalez became Bilbao’s sporting director in November 2022 after a spell as the outfit’s director of development.
Prior to this, Gonzalez served as the assistant sports director at Deportivo Alaves.
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
