Man Utd: Ashworth eyes Brighton raid in first deal as Red Devils sporting director | OneFootball

Dan Ashworth has accepted an offer to join Man Utd.

Dan Ashworth will look to raid Brighton in his first deal as Man Utd sporting director as he is given responsibility of rebuilding the scouting department.

Multiple reports yesterday confirmed that Newcastle’s Ashworth is Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s number one target for the sporting director position at Old Trafford.

It has been claimed that Ashworth wants to move to Man Utd with the Red Devils now locked in negotiations to seal the appointment before the important summer transfer window.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column today: “Dan Ashworth has already said yes to Manchester United. He’s prepared to accept their proposal as it’s considered a big opportunity and project.

“Man United are intentioned to negotiate and pay compensation to Newcastle; they absolutely want Ashworth now, not in 2025.”

And now ESPN claim that Ashworth ‘will be given the responsibility of rebuilding Manchester United’s scouting department’ when he is appointed as their new sporting director.

‘Brighton’s head of recruitment, Sam Jewell, identified as the leading candidate to head up the new structure’ and talks could see Ashworth ‘granted permission to move to Old Trafford in the coming days, subject to a period of gardening leave being served before beginning a new role in Manchester’.

The report adds:

It is understood that Jewell played a crucial role in identifying the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Julio Enciso with Brighton nailing their recruitment in recent years.

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag is set to have less say on transfers when Ratcliffe officially completes his purchase of 25 per cent of the club and the Dutchman insists it will be important that the new sporting director’s philosophy aligns with his.

On the potential appointment of Ashworth, Ten Hag told a pre-match press conference: “I think it is very important you are on one page about football philosophy, about football tactics, about the profiles of the players you need in the team so it is very important to have very good communication so you get the right players.

“It is one of the most important factors to develop a good team, that you have the right players but also the right characters.

“That means you have to do the right work and be aligned and it’s a long process to get the right players in.

“I have worked in several situations where sometimes I was alone in charge, sometimes I had co-operation.

“I think it is so specific, especially on the top, and also so intense. With the number of games you need people around who are on the same page, working on the same targets to achieve the high ambitions.

“I am here and I know in what construction I am working and I am very happy in that construction. I don’t know anything about changes.

“I talk with the new sporting organisation but it is not up to me. My focus point at this moment is on this team.”