Dan Ashworth is free to start work as Manchester United's sporting director after the club reached a compensation agreement with Newcastle. The 53-year-old had been on gardening leave since February after expressing a desire to swap St James' Park for Old Trafford and join the new Ineos management model established by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Newcastle had demanded a £20m settlement, with United initially offering only £2m. The dispute appeared destined for arbitration, but an out-of-court settlement was concluded over the weekend. In a joint statement, the clubs confirmed Ashworth's immediate release, with the terms remaining confidential. Newcastle thanked Ashworth for his services and wished him well.
The financial compromise provides a welcome boost for Newcastle as they seek to comply with the Premier League's profitability and sustainability regulations before the end of the latest three-year cycle. Along with the sales of Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton for a combined figure approaching £70m, the club hopes to have avoided the threat of a points deduction. Newcastle also announced the signing of Lewis Hall from Chelsea for £28m.
Manager Eddie Howe can now be more confident of retaining key players such as Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimarães, although Liverpool's interest in Anthony Gordon is not believed to have been fully extinguished.
Elsewhere, Archie Gray has completed a medical at Tottenham and is expected to move from Leeds for £25m-£30m, with Joe Rodon heading in the opposite direction. Ryan Sessegnon is training with Crystal Palace as he looks to earn a deal, while Palace have confirmed the signing of Daichi Kamada on a two-year contract.
