- Dan Ashworth wants to move to Manchester United to be their sporting director
- Man United are preparing a formal approach for the highly rated Newcastle man
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Manchester United and Newcastle are expected to reach an agreement over Dan Ashworth by early next week, Mail Sport understands.
A formal approach from Man United is being prepared for the sporting director and a swift conclusion is the preference of all parties.
Ashworth wants to swap St James’ Park for Old Trafford and, if a compensation package is agreed, there will be movement in the coming days.
The 52-year-old is seen as the best in the business by incoming Man United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and the focus of his remit would be recruitment.
Ashworth has not had as much control as he expected at Newcastle, the club he joined in the summer of 2022.
Manchester United are expected to reach an agreement to poach Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth next week
Manchester United’s incoming co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe sees him as the best in the business
There has been no fallout but it is thought the lure of the project at Man United, and his relationship with Brailsford, has persuaded him the time is right to move on.
INEOS are not waiting around as they anticipate formal approval of their 25 per cent stake in United and control of the club’s football operation.
Recruitment is their number one priority with the rebuild of the stadium secondary.
They are determined to find a better balance to recruitment than what has been achieved over the past ten years and have identified Ashworth as the ideal lead to a new-look recruitment team.
Ashworth is close to Sir Dave Brailsford and is lured by the new project at Manchester United
He has not had as much control as he would have liked under a complex structure at Newcastle
Other support appointments are expected to follow quickly as United want to be ready to move early ahead of the summer transfer window with targets already being identified.
Brailsford and Jim Ratcliffe showed their intentions to bring in the best with the astute acquisition of Omar Berrada as chief executive from neighbours Manchester City and Ashworth will be viewed as another statement of their intent.
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