Manchester United is planning to rebuild their scouting department under the leadership of incoming director of football, Dan Ashworth. Sources have revealed that Sam Jewell, currently the head of recruitment at Brighton, is the frontrunner to head the new structure.
The club is currently in talks with Newcastle United to secure the release of Ashworth from his sporting director contract. If a swift resolution is reached, the 52-year-old may be granted permission to move to Old Trafford in the coming days, although he will likely serve a period of gardening leave before assuming his new role.
INEOS group, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will soon take charge of football operations at Manchester United, pending confirmation of their 25% investment by the NYSE next week. As part of their plans, they want Ashworth to revamp the recruitment system at the club. An audit of United's recent transfer dealings highlighted the need for improvement, particularly considering that only Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have spent more on player acquisitions since 2018. Despite substantial investments, United has only managed to secure one trophy, the 2023 Carabao Cup, during this period.
Ashworth, who enjoyed a successful four-year stint at Brighton from 2018 to 2022, is widely credited with transforming the club's transfer market performance. Moreover, he played a prominent role in implementing changes at the English Football Association, which significantly improved the national team's results in recent years.
While Ashworth's appointment is considered a significant move by Manchester United, the club is equally determined to strengthen all levels of the recruitment team. Ashworth has reportedly identified Sam Jewell, currently with Brighton, as a potential addition to the team at Old Trafford. Jewell, the son of former football manager Paul Jewell, was originally hired as Brighton's head of U21 recruitment in 2016 and has since been promoted to the position of head of recruitment. He has played a pivotal role in Brighton's successful moves for talented players such as Alexis Mac Allister, Moisés Caicedo, and Julio Enciso. Jewell's expertise in identifying emerging talent in South America and signing them for reasonable fees, only to sell them at significant profits, has impressed both Ashworth and the INEOS team overseeing the club.
Although Manchester United has yet to make a formal move for Jewell, his accomplishments at Brighton have unquestionably caught their attention. It remains to be seen how the club's scouting department will take shape under Dan Ashworth's leadership, but with his track record and the potential addition of Sam Jewell, there is hope that United's recruitment strategy will undergo a much-needed transformation.
