Rio Ferdinand has urged Ineos to be brutal with Manchester United's '*** players' and get them out of the club following the brutal sacking of Dan Ashworth.
Ashworth was sacked as United's sporting director on Saturday, just five months after his appointment, after being told the shock news in a meeting with CEO Omar Berrada following the 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
As reported by Mail Sport, the decision is believed to have been made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford in consultation with co-owner Joel Glazer, although United have insisted the split was mutual.
Ineos has been criticized since taking control of football operations at Old Trafford, with major staff cuts and rising ticket prices hitting morale.
But Ferdinand believes this approach should also extend to Ruben Amorim's team.
Delivering his verdict on the abolition of Ashworth, Ferdinand said: “Confusion is the first thing that comes to mind. I just hope they will be as brutal as the staff who have been working there for years and are clearing out.
“I hope they're that bold with the damn players out there. If there are damn players, and players who have been there too long or players who just aren't good enough, be as bold as they have been. Get them out quickly.
'I hope they are. For better or worse, at least they made a bloody decision. That's the way I think about it. But you look at the things that happen.
'I think there is a lot of noise around the club. Ticket prices are now going up, over 250 staff have been laid off and again, they are very final.
“They say, 'We're doing this. We don't care about the noise.'”
Ashworth officially started working at United on 1 July after the club agreed a compensation sum of around £3 million with Newcastle. However, they will now have to make a payout, although this figure is expected to be lower.
It is believed that United are not currently looking for a replacement.
Technical director Jason Wilcox and interim recruitment director Christopher Vivell could both take on more responsibility with the January window starting in a few weeks.
They would also be contenders to take on the role of sporting director permanently.
United sources said Ashworth's departure was a 'very difficult decision', adding that he had behaved with decorum and integrity.
It is claimed that he was not fully supportive of Amorim's appointment and preferred an English coach such as Gareth Southgate or Graham Potter.
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