Manchester United have moved closer to tying up a crucial deal Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been pushing for.
Since Ineos’ investment in Manchester United was announced in late December, work has been ongoing behind the scenes to improve the expertise at the club.
This has led to the appointment of a new chief executive and new technical director, but the one United have not quite managed to secure to date, is a sporting director.
There is no doubt who the top target is. Manchester United are locked in on Dan Ashworth, who has been removed from duty at Newcastle amid his desire to switch to Old Trafford.
But an agreement is not in place between clubs, with Newcastle demanding a high compensation fee for Ashworth, which Ineos have refused to pay.
Dan Ashworth deal close
Manchester United are now closing in on an agreement with Newcastle for the services of Dan Ashworth, report ESPN.
It is claimed the two clubs are ‘nearing’ terms, which would allow Manchester United to formally appoint Ashworth as sporting director.
The Red Devils are keen to avoid this dragging out and going to a court of arbitration, adding to the bitterness and expense.
When Ashworth would be able to start is unclear. Reaching an agreement in 24 hours, for instance, would not necessarily mean he could begin right away.
Instead it is more likely Ashworth would only be able to formally start his role after this transfer window, from the start of September.
The Telegraph had previously claimed Newcastle would be prepared to play hardball and block Ashworth starting work until 2026, when his deal expires.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has previously expressed frustration at the delays, commenting: “It’s a long journey really… one of the biggest problems is that you get these new guys to come into the team, really capable people, but they are all on gardening leave.”
United began negotiations with Newcastle back in February over Ashworth. And after a period of stalemate, five months on, it appears there is hope that this ongoing situation is a step closer to being resolved.
Omar Berrada incoming
One wait is almost certainly over for Manchester United, with chief executive Omar Berrada close to starting work.
He has been on gardening leave since the agreement was struck in January, and is scheduled to start work on July 13.
This is a crucial step forward for the Ineos project, and if Ashworth is soon to follow, Ratcliffe’s masterplan can click into another gear.
