Dan Ashworth is reportedly open to leave his role at Newcastle United and join Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new sporting structure at Manchester United.
That’s according to an exclusive report from Football Insider, which states that Newcastle United transfer supremo Dan Ashworth is the new No. 1 target for Manchester United’s sporting director vacancy as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in the club. The 52-year-old is apparently “attracted” by the prospect, and preliminary discussions have already taken place over a potential move in the near future.
The Magpies’ are bracing themselves for a fight to keep hold of one of the most important people at the club as the man pulling the strings behind the scenes, Ashworth, continues to be linked with an Old Trafford switch despite recently pledging his loyalty to Newcastle United should Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed £1.25 billion buy-in go through.
The 71-year-old’s investment is currently being finalised and could be announced before the end of the year. Though it will take a further six to eight weeks to get ratified by the Premier League, Ratcliffe and his INEOS team are already hard at work in the background to set up a new football structure at the club, with some major top-level appointments in the offing.
Ashworth is the first choice for the football supremo role, and the Red Devils are plotting to offer him a leading role that could convince him to quit Newcastle barely a year after joining from Brighton & Hove Albion. The Englishman has already had a huge impact. He’s overseen some major transfer moves since his arrival, including the recruitment of Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, and, most controversially, Sandro Tonali.
He also oversees the Toon Academy, ensuring that each youngster has a clear path to the senior side and aligning the style of play with how Eddie Howe’s first-team operates, so his potential departure would be quite a blow for the Magpies.
As such, the former West Brom technical director is content in his role at St. James’ Park, but he could be attracted by a switch to Old Trafford owing to his previous relationship with Ratcliffe’s right-hand man, Sir Dave Brailsworth, who is extremely eager to bring in the highly-rated football executive with him to Manchester United to right the ship.
