Man United are about to make another huge addition.
Newcastle United have placed sporting director Dan Ashworth on gardening leave after he told the club he wants to join Manchester United.
Man United have targeted Ashworth – who has been instrumental in Newcastle’s recent success – to help revolutionise the club following INEOS purchase of a minority stake in the club.
As revealed by the BBC, Ashworth is under contract until 2025 and can’t leave until a compensation fee has been agreed.
Talks between the two clubs have yet to get underway.
Newcastle want huge sum for sporting director.
Sporting directors have become all the rage in recent years and Ashworth is certainly regarded as one of the best in the business.
Reports last week said that the 52-year-old has a database that contains details on every player.
Given his importance to the club, the Magpies want a fee of over £10m to part ways with their prized asset.
For context, the fee Newcastle want is just £1m more than the loan fee Man United paid Fiorentina for Sofyan Amrabat last summer.
Needless to say, Man United would be foolish not to just pay the release clause and allow Ashworth
Ashworth is supposedly keen to make the move to Old Trafford and has a strong relationship with INEOS head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford from his time in a previous role at the Football Association.
Ashworth and Berrada can fix Man United’s transfer woes
Having already appointed Omar Berrada as the club’s chief executive earlier this year, bringing Ashworth in would be another almighty coup for Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Transfers have been a huge problem in the past for the Red Devils, spending extortionate sums on players who have failed to live up to the price tag.
In his time at Brighton and Newcastle, Ashworth forged a reputation for unearthing gems that would prove to be a suitable fit for those respective clubs.
While United have shown steady improvement in recent weeks, they are still a long way off from being at their absolute best but if brought in, Ashworth may help propel the club back to the glory days of titles and trophies.
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