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

“Times” information

©IMAGO

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.

Player salaries 2023: Bayern crack 300 million – Man Utd only in 8th place

20 | Sevilla FC | Wage costs: €135 million

&copy TM/IMAGO

Previous year: €138 million (-2%)
To the club profile!
(Source: UEFA financial report)

19 | RB Leipzig | Wage costs: €145 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €126 million (+15%)
To the club profile!

18 | Everton FC | Wage costs: €147 million

&copy IMAGO

Information only available from 2022
To the club profile!

17 | Newcastle United | Wage costs: €171 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €163 million (+5%)
To the club profile!

16 | Aston Villa | Wage costs: €172 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €121 million (+41%)
To the club profile!

15 | Leicester City | Wage costs: €174 million

&copy IMAGO

Information only available from 2022
To the club profile!

14 | Inter Milan | Wage costs: €176 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €201 million (-12%)
To the club profile!

13 | Borussia Dortmund | Wage costs: €183 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €164 million (+12%)
To the club profile!

12 | Arsenal FC | Wage costs: €188 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €182 million (+4%)
To the club profile!

11 | Atlético Madrid | Wage costs: €190 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €195 million (-2%)
To the club profile!

10 | Tottenham Hotspur | Wage costs: €205 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €179 million (+15%)
To the club profile!

9 | Juventus Turin | Wage costs: €225 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €297 million (-24%)
To the club profile!

8 | Manchester United | Wage costs: €249 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €337 million (-26%)
To the club profile!

7 | Liverpool FC | Wage costs: €304 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €309 million (-2%)
To the club profile!

6 | FC Bayern | Wage costs: €308 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €274 million (+13%)
To the club profile!

5 | Real Madrid | Wage costs: €320 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €462 million (-31%)
To the club profile!

4 | Chelsea FC | Wage costs: €323 million

&copy IMAGO

Information only available from 2022
To the club profile!

3 | Manchester City | Wage costs: €389 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €321 million (+21%)
To the club profile!

2 | FC Barcelona | Wage costs: €505 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €347 million (+45%)
To the club profile!

1 | Paris Saint Germain | Wage costs: €529 million

&copy IMAGO

Previous year: €626 million (-16%)
To the club profile!

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
To overview

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.

Boehly, Bin Salman & Co.: The owners of the Premier League clubs

Newcastle United – Mohammed Bin Salman (Saudi Arabia)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2021, as Chairman of the Public Investment Fund

Manchester United – Joel Glazer* (USA)

&copy IMAGO

*and family
Year of entry: 2003 | In December 2023, Jim Ratcliff bought 25% of the shares.

Chelsea FC – Todd Boehly (USA), Mark Walter (USA), Hansjörg Wyss (Switzerland)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2022 | Info: You can see the respective majority shareholders of the clubs here, who do not necessarily have to own 100% of the shares.

AFC Bournemouth – Bill Foley (USA)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2022

Nottingham Forest – Vangelis Marinakis (Greece)

&copy IMAGO

Year of entry: 2017

Fulham FC – Shahid Khan (USA/Pakistan)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2013

Everton FC – 777 Partners (pictured: founder Josh Wander)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2023

Aston Villa – Wes Edens (USA) & Nassef Sawiris (Egypt)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2018

Arsenal FC – Stan Kroenke (USA)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2008

Liverpool FC – John Henry (USA)

&copy IMAGO

Year of entry: 2010

West Ham United – David Sullivan (Wales), David Gold (England), Daniel Kretinsky (Czech Republic)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2010, Kretinsky from 2021

Brentford FC – Matthew Benham (England)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2011

Brighton & Hove Albion – Tony Bloom (England)

&copy IMAGO

Year of entry: 2009

Crystal Palace – Steve Parish (England)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2011

Manchester City – Mansour Al-Nahyan (UAE)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2008

Tottenham Hotspur – Daniel Levy (England)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2000
ENIC Sports and Development Holdings Limited holds 85.55% of Tottenham. Levy owns 29.4 percent of the company, Joe Lewis owns 70.6 percent. Levy is chairman of the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers – Guo Guangchang (China)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2016

Burnley FC – Alan Pace (USA)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2020

Sheffield United – Abdullah Bin Mosaad Al Saud (Saudi Arabia)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2013
in the picture CEO Stephen Bettis and deputy chairman Yusuf Giansiracusa

Luton Town – Fan Consortium Luton Town FC 2020 Ltd (England)

&copy IMAGO

Starting year: 2008
Pictured is founding member and CEO David Wilkinson

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.

To home page

ttn-38