He has worked in the shadows in English football for more than a decade, instilling the so-called 'DNA' into his improved national teams and then shaping the development and philosophy of Premier League clubs Brighton and Newcastle.
Now Dan Ashworth could take on perhaps his biggest task yet: overseeing the restart of relegated giants Manchester United.
Ashworth has been placed on leave by Newcastle, the Saudi-controlled north-east club said on Monday, amid interest from Manchester United in taking on the sporting director role amid a review of its football operations under British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.
“We are of course disappointed that Dan has chosen to leave,” Newcastle CEO Darren Eales said, “however our exciting journey does not stop and the process to recruit a new sporting director will begin immediately.”
If Ashworth were to eventually make the move to Old Trafford, he would be tasked with bringing together the various arms of Manchester United's football operations – soon to be controlled by Ratcliffe's INEOS Sport division – which would include overseeing transfer dealings and creating a broader strategy.
United will likely need to agree a substantial compensation package for Ashworth, who joined Saudi Arabia's Newcastle in June 2022 after leaving Brighton in similar circumstances.
Bolstered by the riches of Saudi Arabia, Newcastle qualified for the Champions League this season for the first time in two decades, while Brighton have emerged as one of the longest-term clubs in England thanks to a smart scouting network in Europe and the South America.
Prior to that, Ashworth was director of elite development at the Football Association from 2012-18 and was responsible for instilling an ethos – dubbed the 'England DNA' – that spans the entire international organization at its base in St. George's Park. This has been cited as a major factor in the progress of the senior men's team in the latter stages of the last three major tournaments, the women's team winning the European Championship and reaching the World Cup final and the improved performances of England's youth teams.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe spoke last week that Ashworth, 52, is in a “position of power” and has “a lot of intelligence and information”.
Asked what was going on with Ashworth, he added: “Nothing, as far as I know. Obviously it's in the news a lot and usually with these things, that means something is going to happen.
“But as we speak, we haven't had any contact with anyone.”
of Ratcliffe proposed offer The purchase of a 25% stake in Manchester United was nearing completion last week after the club said the deal had been approved by the FA. The Premier League has already approved Ratcliffe to take a minority stake under its rules on who is allowed to own or manage a football club.
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