What Manchester United experts are saying about Dan Ashworth as Newcastle deal agreed

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's longest transfer saga since purchasing a minority stake in Manchester United has finally ended.

On Monday morning it was revealed that United have reached an agreement with the Magpies for Dan Ashworth's compensation. In mid-February, the former Brighton and Hove Albion and England FA chief was placed on gardening leave by the North East club after he confirmed he wished to move to Old Trafford.

Unsurprisingly, Newcastle placed a big price tag on the sporting director to avoid him leaving earlier than his gardening leave's expiry in 2026. It is believed Eddie Howe's club wanted £15m plus £5m worth of add-ons to allow his contract to end early.

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Ineos were unwilling to agree to this and it seemed the stalemate would last indefinitely only for news of an agreement to break on Monday morning. Ahead of his arrival, MEN Sport has taken a look at what experts surrounding United and Ashworth have previously said about the 53-year-old.

Gary Neville

The former United captain spoke highly of Ashworth after a trip to St James' Park last season. Neville wrote on X: "He [Ashworth] transformed the FA’s structure, set Brighton up for this incredible period of success and has now built a strong foundation for the new owners at Newcastle.

"He’s competent, highly qualified and knows what he’s doing. [He] will work with his coach, recruitment team and other departments coherently and calmly."

Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Speaking while the deadlock was in full swing between United and Newcastle in April, Ratcliffe spoke positively of the Newcastle chief. "I think Dan Ashworth is clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world, I’ve no doubt," he explained.

"He’s a very capable person. He’s interested in the Manchester United job because it’s probably the biggest sporting director job in the world just now, with the biggest challenge.

"We’ve obviously had words with Newcastle. They would clearly be disappointed to lose Dan."

Sir Dave Brailsford

Admiration between the two men is thought to be high and the Newcastle man invited the Ineos director into the Magpies' training camp in 2022 to give his insights and explain the theory of 'marginal gains'.

In December, a source close to Brailsford told the i newspaper that Ashworth was considered his 'dream appointment' and that he would try 'everything he could' to bring him to United.

Eddie Howe

Newcastle's boss has worked with Ashworth on his rebuild in the North East and could not speak higher of him in press conferences. Howe said: "I have now got Dan’s experience, which has been invaluable, he has made a real impact in all aspects of the club in such a short space of time.

"However, he is not just looking at recruitment, he is looking at every aspect of the club from top to bottom, using his experience to try and improve what we deliver. I can’t speak highly enough of him, as he has been a big help on the transfer front, he has got really good contacts in the game."

Graham Potter

The former Chelsea boss has been linked with United previously and worked closely with Ashworth at Brighton. He added: "His role was about connecting the club.

"It was about using the academy, the recruitment department, analysis… all the different spokes of the wheel, shall we say, and connecting the club in a good way. From a head coach’s perspective, he was there to support and, at times, challenge and to help with anything, really. He was always there for that. He was very efficient, very intelligent. Good at his job."