Surprise candidate on Arsenal’s shortlist for new sporting director after Edu’s exit | OneFootball

Dan Ashworth is on the shortlist to become Arsenal’s new sporting director as the club continue their search for Edu Gaspar’s replacement.

Edu departed the Emirates in November last year with Jason Ayto, his deputy at the time, stepping up on an interim basis to fill the void.

Arsenal hope to select their appointment sometime next month and are putting together a shortlist of potential candidates which is said to include Ashworth, Ayto, Andrea Beta, Thiago Scuro and Roberto Olabe.

53-year-old Ashworth has been out of work since his short lived tenure at Manchester United ended after just five months.

United chief executives Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada decided to part ways with the former Brighton and Newcastle director after they had spent months negotiating and around £2-£3m to bring him to Old Trafford.

Arsenal’s recruiting process has seen them use an external firm to assess and reduce a longer list of candidates with a select few advancing to an interview stage with the club’s hierarchy.

The Gunners’ ownernship group, KSE UK Inc, are being consulted throughout the process and will have the final sign-off and approval of any appointment.

Replacing Edu, will not be an easy task. The former Arsenal midfielder, already a legend due to his part in club’s 2003-04 ‘Invincibles’ season, was appointed as their first-ever technical director in the summer of 2019. He hired Mikel Arteta as head coach and was promoted to sporting director in November 2022.

Arsenal are looking to replace former sporting director Edu Gaspar (left) (PA)

Arsenal have taken their time in appointing a replacement and want to ensure they get the right person for the job to avoid a situation like Ashworth’s early exit from Manchester United.

Earlier this week, Arteta was asked if a sporting director was close to being appointed and he responded: “The club is doing the process that we believe is the best to try to find the person that is the best one for the moment that Arsenal is in right now and that’s what the club is trying to do.”