Newcastle United blocks the arrival of sports director Ashworth – he wants to move to Man United

“Times” information

Newcastle United’s Dan Ashworth could soon be the most expensive sporting director in football history. According to information from “TimesThe 52-year-old wants to leave the Magpies for Manchester United – he communicated this wish to the club management on Sunday. Newcastle reacted very angrily to this news and tied conditions to a transfer of the sports director, who they brought from Brighton in 2022 for a fee of 4.7 million euros.

Man United should pay the equivalent of 17.6 million euros for Ashworth or Newcastle will send him on a forced break for 20 months. During the so-called gardening leave, the employee willing to move continues to receive a salary and in return does not work for anyone else for a while. According to the Times, the fact that Newcastle is serious is underlined by the fact that the club is said to have blocked Ashworth’s access to all of the club’s data after he announced his desire to move.

Ashworth’s transfer from Brighton to Newcastle was made official in February 2022 and following a three-month gardening leave, he took over the reins of the Saudi Arabian-owned club. In two years he signed 13 players for 338.5 million euros and sold players for 58.6 million euros – the Magpies’ squad value rose from 290.4 million to 638.7 million euros during this time. This means that Newcastle currently has the eleventh most valuable squad in the football world behind Manchester United (735 million euros).

Since June 2022
Squad value development Premier League
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While Ashworth ensured a significant increase in squad value with his transfers in Newcastle, this has actually declined at the Red Devils since the summer of 2022 – at that time 774 million euros. And this despite the fact that Man United invested 445.6 million euros in the transfer market during this time and only recorded 79 million euros in income. The decisive factor in Ashworth’s desire to move is the English billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who recently bought 25 percent of the shares in Manchester United and wants to lead the club to its former strength.

Newcastle coach Howe on Ashworth: “The concerns are justified”

When looking at Ashworth’s career, a club of the caliber of the English record champions would be the next logical step. In Newcastle, meanwhile, people are not happy about the fact that, despite Saudi financial power, they are still below Manchester United in the Premier League food chain.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said of his sporting director: “He is in a position of power and has a lot of information. That’s why it’s a somewhat unusual situation. The concerns are justified. At some point a line has to be drawn and things have to move forward.” Given the Red Devils’ numerous and expensive transfer flops in recent years, €17.6 million for Ashworth seems like a drop in the ocean. Nevertheless, this sum would be a record fee for a sports director. For comparison: Max Eberl’s move from RB Leipzig to FC Bayern is said to cost the Munich team around 4 million euros.

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