Manchester United have finally reached an agreement with Newcastle to appoint Dan Ashworth as the club’s new sporting director.
Ashworth was placed on gardening leave at Newcastle four months ago after expressing his desire to leave the Magpies for Manchester United, who had made the 53-year-old their top target for the sporting director role.
Negotiations have been ongoing as the teams discussed a compensation package and The Athletic are reporting an agreement has now been reached.
Ashworth – who had threatened to take Newcastle to arbitration to force the move to Old Trafford – is set to begin his role with immediate effect as Manchester United look to strengthen the squad in the summer transfer window.
Ashworth has built an impressive reputation within English football having previously worked with the FA as director of elite development and at Brighton, where he was credited with a number of profit-producing signings on the South Coast.
He is the latest addition to Manchester United’s new-look hierarchy, following a restructure of football operations under new minority owners Ineos.
Omar Berrada is set to complete his move from Manchester City to take up the position of chief executive, while Jason Wilcox has been appointed from Southampton as technical director and will work closely with Ashworth moving forward.
