Dan Ashworth will soon be back at work: After a long hiccup with Newcastle, Manchester United are apparently getting their dream sporting director
Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought 27.7 percent of the shares in February, he has been driving forward the restructuring of the sporting management level at Manchester United. Now there has apparently been the hoped-for breakthrough in one of the most important personnel matters: Dan Ashworth has been allowed to leave Newcastle United and become the new sporting director at the English record champions
Ashworth has not been allowed to work since February
According to the BBC and other English media, all sides have reached an out-of-court settlement after months of negotiations, clearing the way for Ashworth to join Man United. After the 53-year-old informed Newcastle bosses of his desire to move to the league rivals, they suspended him in February. Since then, he has not been allowed to work for the Magpies as sporting director or leave the club and has been considering legal action.
There had been very different ideas in the transfer negotiations from the outset, but the two clubs now appear to have reached an agreement after all. Newcastle, who urgently needed to generate financial income by June 30 in order to comply with the Premier League’s financial regulations, were reportedly able to book the transfer fee for Ashworth in the old financial year. The club also sold two players, Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) and Yankuba Minteh (Brighton), for a combined total of over €75 million.
Ashworth, who worked for Brighton until February 2022 and also gained experience in the FA, becomes Man United’s third major off-field addition after new technical director Jason Wilcox (Southampton FC) and new managing director Omar Berrada (Manchester City). Together with coach Erik ten Hag, who will be allowed to remain in office despite a mixed season, Ashworth will soon be able to devote himself to squad planning – something he may have already been working on during his forced leave.
