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INEOS are “refusing to compromise” in their pursuit of Dan Ashworth, even if means Manchester United enter the summer transfer window without a sporting director in place.
Following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ratification as the new co-owner at Old Trafford in February, his INEOS Sport team assumed full control over the football operation at United. The first step in their overhaul of the club is to install a ‘best-in-class’ executive team – the type of structure sorely lacking at United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise.
Omar Berrada was poached from local rivals Manchester City to be the new chief executive, after previous incumbent Richard Arnold’s resignation in November. Sources within the football industry believe the appointment to be a potential “game-changer“, with one Premier League executive describing it as the “first genuinely elite move” made at Old Trafford in a decade.
The next stage of INEOS’ plan was for a sporting director to join Berrada in this ‘best-in-class’ team. Their first choice for the role was quickly established to be Ashworth, who has close ties with Sir Dave Brailsford – the INEOS Sport Director.
This pursuit has not proven as efficient as Berrada’s, however.
United approached Ashworth in February over the potential of him relocating to Old Trafford. When the 53-year-old executive communicated his intention to accept this proposal to his current employers, Newcastle United, the Tyneside club placed him on immediate gardening leave.
The Magpies have since dug their heels in over losing their sporting director, given he only joined the club in 2022, and has over two years remaining on his contract. They are demanding a compensatory fee in the region of £20 million in order to allow Ashworth to circumvent his notice period and begin work at Old Trafford immediately – an almost unheard of amount for an executive figure.
As such, INEOS are refusing to meet Newcastle’s demands, with sources at the club revealing they are prepared to wait for their first-choice target, even if it means Ashworth is not in place in time for this summer.
Matt Hughes (Daily Mail) reveals both clubs are “planning for a summer transfer window without having a sporting director in place.” The reporter indicates Newcastle are “content with letting head of recruitment Steve Nixon mastermind their summer transfer plan,” while United are “adamant” they will not meet the Tyneside club’s demands.
Should Ashworth not arrive in time to oversee INEOS’ first transfer window at Old Trafford, they will instead turn to Berrada to “take charge of negotiations in the interim.” While this is a role he has performed expertly at Manchester City previously, there is a risk United’s new chief executive will be spread too thin by being forced to cover parts of a sporting director’s role.
INEOS are reportedly content for Berrada to function as “kingmaker” this summer, but it will be difficult to oversee a project that you are also required to
Furthermore, it speaks to the wider ramifications Ashworth’s delayed appointment may have, given how integral this summer’s transfer window is to United’s fortunes moving forward.
Erik ten Hag’s side are a long way behind Arsenal, City, and Liverpool. Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Newcastle themselves will all improve next season, and even Chelsea likely to be better than this year (given they could not be much worse).
There is a real risk if United do not make the necessary adjustments to their first-team this summer – in terms of inbound and outbound transfers – that they will fall short of Champions League qualification, as they appear likely to do this season. And given INEOS appear willing to wait to secure their primary target to oversee this type of recruitment process, this means the person responsible for this crucial window may only arrive after it has closed.
United cannot afford to miss this summer and they seemingly cannot afford to sign their first-choice marksman. Waiting for Ashworth is a gamble; whether it pays off will only become apparent at the end of next season.
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