“We would like to thank Dan for his work and support during a transitional period for the club and wish him well for the future,” the statement added.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation have said Ashworth was told of the decision after United’s home defeat by Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which left the club 13th in the Premier League.

Ashworth was seen walking through the press conference room with the club’s chief operating officer Collette Roche after the game.

It is understood Ashworth was on his way to a meeting where his exit was confirmed.

United have had a disappointing season so far, sacking manager Erik ten Hag in October after just three wins from their opening nine Premier League matches.

The club later confirmed it cost £10.4m to pay off Ten Hag and his staff, while the cost of paying a release clause to bring in his replacement Ruben Amorim was £11m.

Ratcliffe has also been criticised by fans for scrapping concessions of what the club says are the 3% of tickets that remain unsold for Premier League matches and introducing a minimum price of £66.

The move triggered protests at Old Trafford before last weekend’s victory over Everton.

Ratcliffe has said that United have become “mediocre” and warned more “difficult and unpopular decisions” will be needed.

In the latest accounts, to 30 June 2024, the club announced a net loss of £113.2m.

Total losses over the past five years are more than £370m, and the club have sacked Ten Hag and hired Amorim since then.

Ashworth previously worked at West Bromwich Albion, the FA and Brighton before joining Newcastle in 2022.

There were extensive negotiations for him to leave Newcastle and move to Old Trafford, with Ashworth at one point set to take the Magpies to arbitration in an effort to resolve the impasse.

But talks between the clubs led to an out-of-court settlement being agreed in June, with Ashworth taking up his new role a week later.

He joined a revamped leadership group at Old Trafford, with Jason Wilcox joining as technical director from Southampton and former Manchester City senior official Omar Berrada installed as chief executive.

Ratcliffe’s part-purchase of United was announced on 24 December last year, and his team are in charge of virtually all football-related decision-making.