Manchester United is reportedly considering making a formal approach to Newcastle for sporting director Dan Ashworth. The 52-year-old is believed to be at the top of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s list to lead his new football operation at Old Trafford, although no official approach has been made yet. While Newcastle may be hesitant to let Ashworth go, sources suggest that he is privately open to the possibility of joining Manchester United.
Dan Ashworth’s Background:
Dan Ashworth assumed the role of sporting and technical director at West Bromwich Albion in December 2007. He later transitioned to the FA as director of elite development in 2012, where he played a pivotal role in the success of both the men’s and women’s national teams. In 2019, Ashworth took on the position of technical director at Brighton before departing in February 2022 to become the sporting director at Newcastle.
Newcastle is preparing for a potential formal approach from Manchester United, but reaching an agreement on compensation to secure Dan Ashworth’s services may pose challenges given his relatively recent arrival at Newcastle, having joined just two years ago.
Manchester United is keen to have Ashworth onboard this summer to oversee their transfer overhaul, especially as INEOS assumes control over the football operation. The interest in Ashworth arises following the approval of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed bid to acquire a minority stake in Newcastle by both the Premier League and the Football Association.
With British billionaire Ratcliffe, owner of multinational chemicals company INEOS, nearing completion of his deal to purchase 25 percent of the club, Manchester United is awaiting clearance from the Football Association before proceeding with their pursuit of Ashworth.
When it comes to transfers, attributing all success or failure to one person can be overstated. However, there’s speculation that Dan Ashworth played a significant role in some successful signings, such as Moises Caicedo at Brighton for £4.5m, Kaoru Mitoma for £2.5m, and Alexis MacAllister for around £6m.
Similarly, at Newcastle, signings like Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, and Anthony Gordon have been praised. While it’s not solely credited to Ashworth, as the sporting director, he holds a level of responsibility. Comparing his track record to Manchester United’s recent recruitment challenges, Ashworth’s potential move to United is seen as positive.
Having interacted with Ashworth during his time at the Football Association, he’s regarded as knowledgeable about English football and well-connected, particularly with emerging English talent. This could potentially benefit United in acquiring both domestic and international young talents.
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