Newcastle United Sporting Director Placed on Gardening Leave Amid Manchester United Rumors

Newcastle United has placed their sporting director, Dan Ashworth, on gardening leave amid reports of a potential move to Premier League rivals Manchester United. The move comes as Ineos, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford, nears completion of their 25% purchase of Newcastle United. However, Ashworth's contract with Newcastle reportedly prohibits him from joining a rival club until 2026 without monetary compensation. Newcastle United's chief executive, Darren Eales, expressed disappointment at Ashworth's departure and announced that the club will immediately begin the process of recruiting a new sporting director.

Dan Ashworth is highly regarded as one of the top sporting directors in football. He previously worked as the FA's director of elite development, where he helped England's youth teams achieve success in the under-17 and under-20 World Cups in 2017. Ashworth then joined Brighton as their technical director in 2019, playing a key role in the hiring of Graham Potter and the team's rise in the Premier League. In 2022, Ashworth was appointed as Newcastle's technical director following the club's takeover by a Saudi-led consortium.

The speculation surrounding Ashworth's potential move to Manchester United has been denied by United manager Erik ten Hag, who stated that he is focused on his current team and has no involvement in the appointment of a sporting director. As Newcastle United moves forward, they will be seeking a new sporting director to continue their exciting journey.