Manchester United are reportedly set to make a ‘formal approach’ for Newcastle United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS Group continue to assemble their new executive team.
The club have been linked to the likes of ex-Liverpool recruiter Julian Ward, Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman and most heavily Paul Mitchell, who has worked at Southampton, Spurs, RB Leipzig and more, but Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth now appears to be the frontrunner.
As per The Athletic, the leading candidate has now told the Magpies of United’s interest and although there is yet to have been any contact between the two teams thus far, a formal approach is expected to come soon.
ln fact, the word from Fabrizio Romano is that Ashworth has apparently already personally agreed to the move, it’s just a case of the North East club greenlighting it and setting their terms.
🚨 Dan Ashworth has already said yes to Manchester United. He's prepared to accept their proposal as it's considered big opportunity & project.
Understand Man United are intentioned to negotiate and pay compensation to Newcastle; they absolutely want Ashworth now, not in 2025. pic.twitter.com/Ka2pHQzFnh
As explained in multiple reports, the main hurdle the Red Devils now face is how much it’s going to cost them, with Newcastle understood to be after significant compensation if Ashworth is to depart.
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The 52-year-old only arrived at the club a couple of years ago, not long after the Saudi takeover and the start of their own rebuild, and given their recent progress not only in recruitment but on the pitch as a result, they are obviously keen to keep him on board as they continue their resurgence.
Having already helped develop the player recruitment structure as well as investing in attracting more youth talent on Tyneside, his reputation at Newcastle and prior is a glowing one.
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It is this pedigree, combined with the other highlights on his CV that has seen Ashworth jump to the top of Ratcliffe’s list, with the UK billionaire and his right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford said to want him in place and ready to help overhaul in time for the transfer window rather than wait until next summer.
🗣️ "I think it's a real determination from INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe to get the best in class"
The Back Pages Tonight panel on reports that Man Utd are closing in on hiring Dan Ashworth as their sporting director 🔴📰 pic.twitter.com/GymQr2kvwq
Who is Dan Ashworth and why do Man United want him?
Before his role at Newcastle, started out his youth career as a footballer at Norwich and eventually went on to get his first job as a sporting and technical director at West Brom in 2007.
He then went on to join the FA as their director of elite development in 2012 and played a key role in the success of both the men’s and women’s national teams throughout the age groups and beyond, with several of England’s youth teams having gone on to win silverware.
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It was in 2019 that he became technical director at Brighton, whose recruitment strategy has been heavily praised over the past few years, before eventually leaving in February 2022 after being headhunted by Newcastle to become their new sporting director.
Both teams have picked up some very good players and introduced some promising young talent in recent seasons, so United will be hoping for similar success at Old Trafford. Fans can also expect Ashworth to create better communication and relationships throughout the club’s infrastructure.
🎙 Our interview with #NUFC's newly appointed sporting director, Dan Ashworth is now available to watch in full on YouTube.
Once again, no official approach has been made as yet but is thought things could move quite quickly once an offer is made and United’s board are clearly keen to make things happen soon.
The impressive bit of poaching is also thought to have played into Ashworth’s own decision to say yes according to The Guardian, and if approved, Manchester United could have a whole host of new faces at the helm in a relatively short space of time.
Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
Andy Aspinall issues update on Tom’s eye poke injury and calls for changes in the UFC
Danny Jones
Andy Aspinall – father of Manc martial artist Tom Aspinall – has shared a lengthy video interview on his son’s YouTube channel discussing the latest regarding his son’s eye injury.
More importantly, as a concerned parent, he’s also called for better safeguarding and/or tighter rules in the UFC regarding fouls and, in particular, eye poking.
In case you missed it, this past weekend, the Greater Manchester MMA star took on French fighter Ciryl Gane in his first title defence since being named the undisputed heavyweight champion. Unfortunately, the main event match had to be cut short after Aspinall was left unable to see following an eye poke.
Although this is an illegal move in the sport, not only could it not be proved whether it was accidental or perhaps even intentional, as some have speculated on social media, but the only outcome was for the bout to end in a no-contest. Updating fans online, Andy reiterated priorities, dubbing this “just a job”.
🚨BREAKING🚨
Tom Aspinall “𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝘾𝘼𝙉’𝙏 𝙎𝙀𝙀” out of his right eye following Ciryl Gane’s double eye poke at UFC 321, his dad Andy has revealed 😳
“His right eye, he still can't see anything.He said it's just grey.
As you can see in the main clip above, Andy says that the Atherton-born fighter still “can’t see anything” out of his right eye, describing his sight as little more than “just grey”; meanwhile, his left eye is said to be at roughly 50% vision, having struggled to get more than a few rows down on a Snellen chart.
Essentially, the short version is that after the pain of the controversial eye poke, the muscles in his eye still aren’t healed and will be going for even more eye tests, including an eye test.
However, arguably the most salient points to take away from the video were those regarding his son’s overall welfare and the safety of the sport, as it is clear that Andy was talking chiefly as an understandably worried father rather than his coach.
“For me, everything is about his health. It’s not about the fighting – that’s just what he chose to do as a job”, he says, also clarifying that he isn’t accusing Gane of any ill intent, personally, and that the referees need to have more powers when it comes to fouling.
He also reminded those watching that the Wigan native has a wife and three kids to think about, stating, “This is just a job that he’s doing at this period in time, and he’ll do another job”, before going on to add, “What [will] it take?” for the UFC to get stricter around fouls like these.
You can watch the most recent update on Tom Aspinall from his dad, Andy, in full down below.
Andy Aspinall also had plenty to say in terms of what the UFC can do to better protect fighters/improve the rules.
Andy also made a point of suggesting once again that Tom should maybe turn to boxing instead of MMA, not only because of the added safety measures but because of the bigger paydays.
Do you think the UFC needs to be more stringent when it comes to not only protecting its fighters but also the rules and punishments surrounding serious fouls, such as eye pokes?
AND, alternatively, do you think Tom Aspinall would be well-suited to a boxing ring?
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, he was the first to admit that “this is a dangerous f***ing sport”; whether or not coming this close to permanent damage has made him reconsider, only time will tell.
Danny Jones -
15th February 2024 
