According to Mail Sport, Manchester United and Newcastle might agree on Dan Ashworth as early as next week.
All parties want a speedy resolution, and Man United is preparing a formal approach for the sporting director.
Although a protracted period of gardening leave is inevitable, we believe Ashworth wants to transfer from St. James’ Park to Old Trafford. If a compensation deal is agreed upon, there is likely to be movement in the coming days.
The 52-year-old’s primary responsibility would be recruitment, as incoming Man United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS company regard him as the best in the business.
When Ashworth joined Newcastle in the summer of 2022, he did not anticipate having this much power over the team.
Although there hasn’t been any negative impact, it’s believed that the allure of the project at Manchester United, along with his friendship with Sir Dave Brailsford, the director of sport at INEOS, has convinced him it’s time to move on.
With the impending completion of their acquisition of a 25 percent ownership in United and management of the team’s football operations, INEOS is not sitting around.
Their first goal is recruitment, with the stadium reconstruction coming in second.
Ashworth is the perfect lead for a new-look team, and they are motivated to find a better balance to recruitment than what has been accomplished over the previous ten years.
With targets already identified, United wants to be ready to go early in the summer transfer window, thus more support appointments are anticipated soon.
With the smart hiring of Omar Berrada as chief executive from nearby Manchester City, Brailsford and Ratcliffe demonstrated their commitment to appoint the best, and Ashworth will be seen as an additional declaration of that intention.
He will receive a sizable personal compensation package in addition to considerable administrative authority.
Ashworth, who moved from Brighton to Newcastle in the summer of 2022, has reportedly found his role limited by several sources.
In reality, one of the main considerations in determining his future is probably the possibility of having more authority at Old Trafford.
Along with Brailsford, a dependable assistant, Ratcliffe hopes to restore a “British soul” to United’s operations. Ashworth’s knowledge of the home market is essential to what INEOS hopes to create.
Michael Edwards, the former sporting director of Liverpool, is probably going to be a contender to take Ashworth’s job at Newcastle if he leaves.
One of the most sought-after operators in the game, Edwards departed Anfield in June 2022 but has since made a comeback to the sports sector, co-founding an advising firm with Ian Graham, the former director of research at Liverpool.
Richard Hughes, the current technical director of Bournemouth, might possibly be given consideration for the position.
Hughes, who has also been connected to a comparable position at Liverpool, formerly worked on the south coast with Eddie Howe, the head coach of Newcastle, and the two grew close.