Man Utd and Newcastle United talks continue but £13m gap remains as snag approaching

Negotiations over an agreement to take Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth to Manchester United have reportedly hit an impasse.

The former Football Association director of elite development is currently on gardening leave after signalling his intention to swap St James Park for a lead role within a new look hierarchy at Old Trafford in February. The move came as a blow to the Magpies after they identified Ashworth as key to their ambitious plans in the aftermath of a Saudi-led takeover in October 2021.

Speaking after the Red Devils made an initial approach, Magpies chief executive Darren Eales said: "We are naturally disappointed that Dan has chosen to leave, however our exciting journey doesn't stop and the process to recruit a new sporting director will begin immediately.  We thank Dan for his efforts at Newcastle United and we wish him and his family well for the future.”

There have been several reports suggesting Red Devils co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been left bewildered by Newcastle’s insistence on a compensation agreement set between £15m and £20m - and the INEOS supremo seemed to send an obvious barb the way of the Magpies when he was interviewed by BBC Sport during the London Marathon at the weekend.

He said: “It’s a long journey. One of the biggest problems we have in football (at the minute) is we get these new guys to come into the team, they’re really capable people, but they’re all on gardening leave. So it takes six months, a year or even eighteen months (for them to start).  It’s a real issue in football at the moment. To make a change, we need to bring people in.”

Ratcliffe’s frustrations are set to continue according to the latest report in The Telegraph after they revealed the two clubs are around £13m apart in their valuations over the deal to take Ashworth to Old Trafford. 

The report has revealed Newcastle are looking for compensation of around £15m with a further £5m to follow in add-ons - but Manchester United will only offer around £2m, a figure less than the Magpies paid Brighton to secure Ashworth’s services just two years ago.

Ashworth’s appointment, if and when it comes, would be the latest addition to a new-look setup behind the scenes at Old Trafford. Former Blackburn Rovers winger Jason Wilcox has taken up a role as the club’s technical director and he will be assisted by former Manchester City chief executive Omar Berrada as he prepares to swap City for United at the end of the season.