The departure of United’s sporting director was confirmed on Sunday after just 159 days with the club.

Amorim spoke to media for the first time since Ashworth’s exit to preview the team’s Europa League game at Viktoria Plzen on Thursday.

“The first thing I want to say is that, since the first day, I felt great support from the ownership,” said Amorim, who took charge on 11 November.

“From Omar [Berrada, chief executive], from Dan also, from Jason [Wilcox, technical director]. Dan was part of that, and I really felt support from Dan also.

“But this is football and sometimes these things happens. It happens with players, with coaches.

“I know that it’s not the best situation but the important thing is we continue in our way. The path is really clear for everybody and I think this can happen in football.”

Asked if he is concerned whether United are more unstable than when he arrived, Amorim added: “I don’t think so. I’ve felt since day one the support from everybody, so one person leaving doesn’t change nothing.

“Of course, it’s a bad situation, because we are talking about a human being, a professional, that supports us as a team.

“But I think the most important thing is that your vision is really clear and that vision doesn’t change if only one person leaves.”

There have been reports United must sell players before being able to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.

Asked if that was the case, Amorim said: “No, I’m really focused on [managing] to see my players and to understand my players. I think that is one of the problems of the club.

“We have to focus on what we have. We have to focus on the academy and also have a clear profile when you get the players, so it’s a lot of details you have to manage.

“You can see at set-pieces, sometimes you look at our team and we are a small team compared to others.

“Every detail counts and we have to be very clear first in the profiles, arrange all the process, and then go to that phase of buying and selling players.”

Several players are still getting used to the club having been signed by Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag in the summer, while Netherlands left-back Tyrell Malacia has just returned from knee surgery to make his first Premier League start since May 2023.

“We have, like Ty, international players, good players, and we need time to teach them our ideas and then we will see because this is a massive club,” added Amorim.

“We have to arrange a lot of things in our club before thinking just in buying or selling players.

“There’s a lot to do, so let’s focus on improving our players, improving our academy and then see.”

Ashworth, 53, has been on gardening leave since February after telling Newcastle United he wanted to join the revamped set-up under Ineos at Old Trafford.

The former Football Association and Brighton technical director had been set to take Newcastle to arbitration in an effort to resolve the impasse over the move.

But it is understood talks between the clubs led to an out-of-court settlement being agreed late last week that leaves Ashworth free to take up his new role with immediate effect.

In an interview with the BBC’s Sports Editor Dan Roan in February, new Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said it “doesn’t make sense for Dan Ashworth to be sat around doing nothing for 18 months”.

Ashworth previously worked at West Brom, the Football Association and Brighton before joining Newcastle in 2022.

He has a long-standing relationship with Ineos head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford, dating back to Ashworth’s spell at the FA.

Ashworth joins a revamped leadership group at Old Trafford after Jason Wilcox joined as technical director from Southampton, while senior former Manchester City executive, Omar Berrada, is set to join as chief executive.

The changes follow Sir Jim Ratcliffe becoming a minority owner of the club earlier this year, a move which saw his Ineos Group take charge of football operations.

A disappointing campaign last season ended with the club winning the FA Cup and following a review by the club’s board it was confirmed earlier this month that Erik ten Hag would remain as manager.

Ashworth has a long-standing relationship with Ineos head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford.

Talks over compensation are yet to take place between the two clubs.

If a deal is agreed, it would be another significant move by Ineos, whose 25% ownership of Manchester United is set to be confirmed early next week.

It is understood Ashworth is keen on a move to Old Trafford, having established a relationship with Brailsford during his time in a previous role at the Football Association (FA).

In addition to Brailsford and Jean Claude Blanc taking seats on the football club board, they have also come together with the Glazer family to bring Omar Berrada in from Manchester City as their new chief executive.

Berrada is currently on gardening leave and is due to take up his role in the summer.

Ashworth is also likely to have to serve a period of leave, as was the case when he left Brighton before joining Newcastle in 2022.

The 52-year-old has a reputation for being one of the best football directors in the game and was credited with England’s phenomenal success at youth level in 2017, when they won both the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups.

He then helped to shape Brighton’s rise up the Premier League through the appointment of Graham Potter as manager after Chris Hughton was sacked.

Providing the deal goes through, Ashworth is likely to be given significant power at United.

Brailsford led British cycling to unprecedented success on the track before moving across to the road with the former Sky team, which now races under Ineos’ colours.

While understands the demands of elite sport he is aware of the need for football expertise.

United’s recruitment in particular has been poor in recent years, with former chief executive Richard Arnold candidly admitting to fans the club had ‘burned’ £1bn.

Making Antony, the 23-year-old Brazil winger, the club’s second most expensive purchase behind Paul Pogba is viewed as an indication the situation has got no better following Erik ten Hag’s arrival as manager.

Ashworth is also likely to have a major input into the club’s scouting systems.

Ten Hag wants new sporting director on ‘same page’

While Ten Hag says the decision over a new sporting director is not up to him, he added it’s important that whoever is appointed is “on the same page”.

“I think it is very important you are on one page about football philosophy, about football tactics, about the profiles of the players you need in the team,” said the Dutchman.

“It is one of the most important factors to develop a good team, that you have the right players but also the right characters.

“With the number of games you need people around who are on the same page, working on the same targets to achieve the high ambitions.”