Newcastle United official announcement – Dan Ashworth has chosen to leave


 
 
 
 
 
 

Dan Ashworth has chosen to leave St James’ Park.

The (soon to be former) Newcastle United Sporting Director having been in the job only 20 months.

The news revealed on Monday afternoon via an official Newcastle United announcement (see below).

This confirms the breaking news (see below) on Sunday night, when the usually more reliable journalists had clearly been briefed that this was set to happen by those inside the club.

It doesn’t mention it in the official club statement but we now are waiting to see whether Manchester United will finally act professionally and enter negotiations with Newcastle United, to reach a settlement and cut short Ashworth’s gardening leave.

Newcastle United official announcement – 19 February 2024:

Newcastle United can announce that Dan Ashworth has commenced a period of gardening leave.

Darren Eales, Newcastle United CEO, 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.”

The Mag report – 19 February 2024:

On Wednesday it was revealed that Dan Ashworth had told Newcastle United he’d been approached by Manchester United.

The Old Trafford club wanting to take the NUFC Sporting Director and employ him in a similar role.

The very reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic breaking the story (see below), saying he expected things to develop rapidly once Manchester United made official contact with Newcastle United to negotiate his release.

Now on Sunday night a major media update, with the journalists who have been closest to this story all simultaneously giving this big follow up, saying that now Dan Ashworth has said he wants to leave St James’ Park and move to Manchester United

Quite clearly, in my opinion, the journalists in question (David Ornstein of The Athletic, Craig Hope of The Mail and Luke Edwards of The Telegraph) all having been briefed from the NUFC side of things, with the demands of the Newcastle United owners before Dan Ashworth would be allowed to start work at Old Trafford.

It appears crystal clear that the NUFC owners are far from happy at Manchester United playing this out in public, rather than quietly approaching them directly to try and negotiate.

The briefed journalists reporting that as well as the compensation figure included in his contract, there is also a period of gardening leave included in that contract, which would prevent Dan Ashworth starting a new job, at Manchester United or anywhere else, until 2026! Meaning an almost two years wait.

Newcastle United paid an eventual agreed unspecified compensation figure over and above the amount that was in Ashworth’s contract to cut his gardening leave short, around four or five months instead of around a year.

However, that figure dwarfed by what Newcastle United will demand, with Sunday night’s reports saying the NUFC owners want £20m+ from Manchester United, if they want Dan Ashworth to start work at Old Trafford before 2026.

Indeed, David Ornstein has now done a follow up and reports that Dan Ashworth has now been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United, receiving his usual full pay but no longer working at NUFC (at least for the time being) until this matter is brought to a conclusion.

The Mag report – 14 February 2024:

Manchester United have now made an approach to Dan Ashworth.

This news breaking on Wednesday (14 February 2024) night.

The very reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic breaking the story.

Ornstein saying that that the Newcastle United Sporting Director has informed his club of the approach from Manchester United.

The man from The Athletic saying that his information is that so far there has been no contact between the two clubs but that he anticipates that is set to change very soon.

The Athletic report – 14 February 2024:

‘Dan Ashworth has informed Newcastle United that he has been approached by Manchester United in relation to the sporting director position at Old Trafford.

The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Manchester United have made Ashworth their top target, with the situation expected to develop rapidly.

Formal contact is yet to take place between the clubs, although that is anticipated soon and the 52-year-old is said to be open to the opportunity.

The matter is complicated by Ashworth being under contract on Tyneside and that makes it likely Manchester United would need to pay significant compensation to secure his services.

Ashworth joined Newcastle United after resigning from his post as technical director at Brighton & Hove Albion in February 2022, then serving three months of gardening leave.’