Manchester United have identified Dan Ashworth as their number one target to become the club's sporting director.
An approach to Newcastle United has yet to take place, but it is expected to happen as the new regime at Old Trafford look to sign Ashworth.
No agreement has yet been reached for the 52-year-old to embark on a potential transfer, and given that he is currently contracted to Newcastle United, a move for him would not be easy.
However, the situation is expected to develop rapidly and Ashworth is thought to be open to the opportunity to join Manchester United's football organization, which is part of INEOS.
Ashworth has built a reputation as an astute talent scout and, if he joins Manchester United, he could play a vital role in the club's recruitment efforts, which have struggled in recent years.
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Ashworth began his post-playing career at Peterborough United, before becoming West Bromwich Albion's sporting and technical director in December 2007.
He joined the Football Association (FA) in 2012 and played a key role in the success of the men's and women's national teams before stepping down in 2019 to become Brighton & Hove Albion's technical director.
He has been Newcastle United's sporting director since February 2022 and took a three-month gardening holiday in Brighton before moving to St James' Park.
Speaking before his move to Newcastle United, Ashworth said: The Athletic How does he think about his job in 2020?
“I always picture myself sitting in the middle of the steering wheel, with the heads of departments sitting on the outside,” he said. “His director of technical's job is to connect all the spokes and keep the wheel turning, and if one of his department heads leaves, he hires them.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder and chairman of petrochemical company INEOS, has agreed to take a 25% stake in Manchester United rather than step down from the Glazer family, which is diluting their stake in the Premier League side. .
He will also provide $300m (£245m) of his personal wealth for “future investment” in the club.
Ratcliffe and INEOS' purchase of a minority stake in Manchester United received approval from the Premier League on Tuesday, but they are still awaiting the green light from the FA.
The 71-year-old announced in January that he expected his United Airlines shares to be formally acquired by mid-February, according to a Monday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a U.S. government agency. He confirmed that the Prime Minister had said the following: The league approved the move.
Joining Berrada on the revamped board will be Jean-Claude Blanc, CEO of INEOS Sport, and Sir David Brailsford, the company's sporting director.
