Sir Jim Ratcliffe still intent on luring Newcastle transfer chief to Man Utd | OneFootball

Dan Ashworth was appointed as Newcastle's sporting director in the summer of 2022.

Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth is once again being linked with a role at Manchester United once Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment is confirmed.

Ratcliffe is taking a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils, with a deal expected to be completed before Christmas once lawyers on both sides have ironed out the final legal details.

The INEOS founder will take a seat on the board and overall control of football operations. Ratcliffe has instructed Sir Dave Brailsford to review how the club is run and the former Team Sky principal has been at Old Trafford this week with ex-PSG director Jean-Claude Blanc, who is expected to become CEO.

Ratcliffe is also expected to appoint a new sporting director, despite John Murtough’s desire to remain at United. Former Monaco chief Paul Mitchell remains a candidate for the position but reports from Talksport and 90min suggest Brailsford remains hopeful of convincing Ashworth to move to Old Trafford.

Ashworth swapped his role as technical director at Brighton to become Newcastle’s sporting director in 2022. Since then, he’s played a leading role in the Magpies’ ascent to the Champions League.

Jean-Claude Blanc, Sir Dave Brailsford and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The 52-year-old has been discussed as a target for Ratcliffe already in recent months. Talksport says Newcastle will do all they can to retain Ashworth and when speculation was put to him last month, the former FA director of elite performance insisted he was content to remain at St James’ Park.

“I’m really happy here,” he told the Guardian in November. “Newcastle is a brilliant city, club and project. I’m the same as Eddie, I think.”

“I’m thoroughly engaged in throwing myself into all three of those things and really enjoying the challenge.”

Ratcliffe is understood to have hoped to announce the confirmation of his investment before the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

But the Daily Mail reported this week that the deal might not be ready to announce until the following week due to ‘legal structural’ matters. A further delay could be prompted by the Christmas break.