‘I’m reliably informed’… Journalist shares what people close to Dan Ashworth have now told him about Man Utd

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Manchester United are undergoing a serious reshuffle behind the scenes.

The Red Devils have just received a minority investment from Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS chief is already starting to change things at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe has brought in Dave Brailsford alongside him at United, and now, he’s on the search for a new Sporting Director.

One man who has been strongly linked to that post is Newcastle United’s Dan Ashworth.

Ashworth has done a fantastic job at both Newcastle and Brighton in recent years, and United are reportedly hoping that he’s the man to transform their fortunes in terms of recruitment.

However, speaking on the BBC Transfer Gossip Daily Podcast, Luke Edwards has claimed that he’s been reliably informed by people close to Ashworth that there hasn’t yet been an approach from Manchester United or Ratcliffe.

No Man Utd approach for Ashworth

Edwards shared what he knows about this situation.

“You can totally understand why Manchester United would want Dan Ashworth, it makes perfect sense, I’ve spoken to a lot of people at Newcastle and people close to Dan Ashworth and I’m reliably informed that there has been no approach, no contact, not even a conversation between INEOS and Dan Ashworth, no contact between United or INEOS and no approach to Newcastle United at all. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen. Newcastle would be entitled to a lot of money if Manchester United want to poach him, there’s a big release clause in his contract and he’d have to have a period of gardening leave, so he wouldn’t be able to take the job straight away,” Edwards said.

Watch this space

This is certainly a situation to keep an eye on.

As Edwards says, just because there’s been no approach yet doesn’t mean that Ashworth isn’t a contender for this job.

Unlike player signings, United can hire a new Sporting Director whenever they want, even when the transfer window is closed, so don’t be shocked if this one rumbles on for a little while yet.

If Ashworth is United’s man, they don’t need to secure this move straight away. After all, as Edwards says, he would have to undergo a period of gardening leave anyway, so he probably wouldn’t be able to make any sort of impact in this January window even if a deal was agreed tomorrow.

Don’t be shocked if we haven’t heard the last of this story.