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Dan Ashworth is reported to have told Old Trafford officials they need to significantly lower the average age of the Manchester United squad during his interview for the Sporting Director role at the club.
Ben Jacobs (CaughtOffside) reveals the Newcastle United director, who was placed on gardening leave by the Tyneside club following United’s approach for him, made reference to the aging nature of Erik ten Hag’s squad as an area of concern.
The reporter reveals sources indicate Ashworth claimed “the average age of the squad must be brought down by 1.5 years” as part of the expected overhaul this summer at Old Trafford.
The average age of United’s squad this season has been 26.1, which ranks as the 9th oldest in the league.
Aston Villa and Manchester City rank 8th and 7th respectively, with an average of 26.5 and 26.7. By contrast, however, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are joint 17th, with the London rivals’ squads both averaging at 25.3. Liverpool’s average age is 25.7, putting them in 11th.
With City and Liverpool reaching a critical juncture in their team’s evolution – as City will need to soon replace Kyle Walker (33) and Kevin De Bruyne (32), while Liverpool will need to plan for life after Virgil van Dijk (33) and Mohammed Salah (31) – both of United’s rivals will likely be lowering their average age this summer as well.
The two London clubs – Arsenal and Spurs – are in healthy positions with young squads who are set to improve with the passage of time, rather than decline.
As such, Ashworth’s observation during his interviews for the executive role at United will have resonated with the INEOS Sport team. There’s evidently congruity between the two parties in Ashworth’s judgement, demonstrated by the fact they are so aggressively pursuing the Newcastle director to lead their revolution at Old Trafford.
United’s squad is not necessarily old, so much as it is aged in particular areas; in other positions, Ten Hag’s team is almost too youthful, and requires more experienced heads to help guide a selection of talented youngsters.
At centre-back, Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire will both turn 32 next season. Victor Lindelof will turn 30 in the summer, while Jonny Evans reached 36 in January. A younger, more physically capable centre-back to partner the 25-year-old Lisandro Martinez will be prioritised this summer.
It’s a similar story in midfield, where last season’s first-choice triumvirate – Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Bruno Fernandes – are increasingly close to the embrace of Father Time. Casemiro and Eriksen will both turn 33 next season, while Fernandes will hit the dreaded 30 threshold.
The signing of Mason Mount (25) and the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo (18) offer energy and youth in equal measure, but further investment will be required to replace the midfield elders in Ten Hag’s team.
The Dutch manager’s insistence on a press-heavy style this season, predicated upon dominating transitions, also lends itself more readily to younger legs. Casemiro and Eriksen have struggled this year in a philosophy they are ill-suited to, and both players were the subject of interest from abroad in January.
With Ashworth drawing closer and closer to confirmation as the club’s new sporting director, a combination of youth and physical capability will be at the forefront of United’s thinking this summer as they begin to revamp their first-team squad; as will the departure of some of the older players in the dressing room.
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