United set for fight over £20m demand to recruit Ashworth
Manchester United are braced for a compensation battle with Newcastle over Dan Ashworth after finally making a formal approach for their highly regarded sporting director.
Newcastle are demanding at least £20million in compensation to release Ashworth early after confirming in a statement yesterday that the 52-year-old had been placed on gardening leave after signalling his wish to move to Old Trafford as part of the Ineos revolution.
United are understood to be unwilling to pay such a sum and hope to negotiate a compromise with Newcastle that satisfies both parties as incoming minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe steps up his overhaul of the club’s football operations. Under Ratcliffe’s extensive streamlining plans at United, Telegraph Sport understands around 250 jobs are likely to be at risk.
United have already agreed a deal with Manchester City for Omar Berrada, who is due to take over as the club’s chief executive in the summer once a period of gardening leave ends, and hope to find similar common ground with Newcastle over Ashworth.
Darren Eales, the Newcastle chief executive, said the club were “disappointed” Ashworth had chosen to leave and that the search for his replacement was under way.
United’s approach for Ashworth was made by their interim chief executive, Patrick Stewart, with Ratcliffe still awaiting formal completion of his £1.03billion deal for a 28.9 per cent stake in the club.
Telegraph Sport revealed on Sunday how Ashworth could be prevented from taking up a role as United’s director of football until 2026 since the contractually agreed period in which he is unable to work for another top Premier League club is twice as long as initially thought.
United are also working on a deal to entice Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox into another senior recruitment role that would mean the former Blackburn winger reports to Ashworth, who has been hailed as the “best” sporting director around by Rio Ferdinand.
“I think he’s the best,” the former United defender said. “He’s so diligent, he knows the market, he’s not swayed. I don’t think he gets bullied by agents. I said Manchester United should have got him some time ago.”
An anticipated restructuring at Old Trafford could result in cuts to around 20 to 25 per cent of the workforce. According to the club’s latest accounts, United employed 1,112 staff last season.
Meanwhile, Major League Soccer club Minnesota United are close to agreeing a deal to appoint United assistant coach Eric Ramsay as their new head coach.