NEWCASTLE UNITED are braced for Manchester United to make a formal approach for Dan Ashworth, but will be driving the hardest possible bargain if their sporting director decides he wants to move to Old Trafford.
Having passed the Premier League’s new owners and directors’ test, Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a 20 per cent stake in Manchester United is expected to be formally ratified by the Football Association before the end of this week.
Ratcliffe has a long-standing working relationship with Ashworth thanks to his involvement with INEOS, and wants to install Newcastle’s sporting director as one of the key architects of his long-term overhaul of Manchester United.
Newcastle’s executive team are anticipating a formal approach – perhaps as early as the start of next week – and will seek assurances from Ashworth over his commitment to the project he is overseeing on Tyneside if Manchester United offer him an alternative role in the North-West.
Ashworth has consistently claimed he is settled and happy on Tyneside – speaking on the record in November, he said he was “thoroughly engaged” with Newcastle’s long-term plans – but the opportunity to start with what would effectively be a clean slate at Manchester United could appeal and a move to Old Trafford would take him closer to his family home in the West Midlands.
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However, Newcastle would not make it easy for Manchester United to complete a move for the 52-year-old, even if Ashworth expressed a desire to switch clubs.
Having paid a significant compensation sum in order to extract Ashworth from his previous contract at the Amex Stadium, Newcastle would be due what has been described as “substantial sums” if their sporting director was to move on again because of clauses in his current deal. That could prove problematic for Manchester United who, like Newcastle, are close to their FFP spending limits.
Newcastle could also demand that Ashworth completes a lengthy spell of gardening leave prior to moving to Old Trafford, potentially meaning that he could not begin working for Manchester United until 2025.
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