Football Daily | Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth, a very expensive suit and a pair of secateurs
As the sun shines brighter and the weather warms up, there are many tasks for those who enjoy gardening. Beds for vegetables must be prepared, seed potatoes must be prepared for planting, and fruit crops need to be covered to keep birds away. After finishing these duties, it's necessary to prune winter-flowering shrubs and wisteria, as well as cut back deciduous ornamental grasses to make way for spring growth. Dan Ashworth is fortunate to have been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United because he was recruited by Manchester United to serve as their new director of football. With so much to do and so little time to accomplish it, the tasks in the garden will have to wait.
Ashworth is currently working at St James' Park in the same role he moved into in May 2022 after being technical director at West Brom, the Football Association, and Brighton. It's clear that Ashworth is held in high regard, but Football Daily isn't entirely sure what he does. When he was appointed, we were informed that he would oversee the "overall sports strategy, football development, and recruitment at all levels" at Newcastle after the Saudi takeover. If Ashworth played a key role in recruiting success stories like Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, and Nick Pope, it's likely that he also played a key role in spending £55m on an Italian midfielder who is now serving a lengthy ban for betting offenses. Some cynics might say that this club was desperate to get rid of him with suspicious haste, as he committed these offenses while playing for them. It's important to note that Milan denies any knowledge of Sandro Tonali's offenses.
Even though Newcastle has been struggling with injuries and restrictions in their transfer market due to the Profit and Sustainability rules, their recent form has been less than impressive. In the past two transfer windows, their choices have not been successful. Each week, fans witness Dan Burn being outrun and outclassed by younger and faster wingers, which has left them questioning why Lewis Hall, a loanee from Chelsea, isn't given more opportunities. Additionally, fans may be curious as to why Jamal Lewis, another left-back and similarly named player, is currently on loan at Watford.
In the midfield, there has been a noticeable gap caused by Joelinton's absence, which could have been filled in January. However, based on recent events, it seems Newcastle made the right decision in not signing Kalvin Phillips, who seems to have lost his touch after being out of the game for 18 months at Manchester City. Nonetheless, the main point we want to make is that Newcastle's recruitment of players has been inconsistent, like many other clubs. This makes Manchester United's eagerness to recruit Ashworth even more baffling.
The team in Newcastle is testing their strength by asking for £20m as compensation for letting go of one of their employees. It seems that they can afford to keep him on their payroll until 2026, but they still want the compensation money. Reports are saying that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is hesitant to pay such a large amount for the employee. This could be a bad sign for Old Trafford in the future. If the employee, Ashworth, is really good, £20m seems like a good deal to replace questionable and expensive signings like Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Mason Mount from Manchester United. However, we cannot confirm whether Ashworth is good or not.
It seems like Eddie Howe and Ashworth didn't work closely together and Eddie wouldn't be too upset if Ashworth went to work at Newcastle. However, Eddie is worried that if Ashworth joins Manchester United, he will take Newcastle's recruitment secrets with him. Despite this, Newcastle hasn't had much success in their recent transfer deals, so it might not be a bad thing if those secrets are shared. Newcastle can demand a price of at least £20m for their player, Dan, and should let Sir Jim know that the longer Dan remains unavailable, the higher the price will go.
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Daily Inspiration: Quote Of The Day
Roy Hodgson, who recently left the hospital and is feeling better, has announced that he will be stepping down as manager of Crystal Palace. Hodgson deeply values the club and everything it represents to him. During his six seasons at the club, he has enjoyed working with amazing staff and players while doing what he loves. However, he understands that in light of current events, it may be best for the club to start planning for the future. Therefore, he has decided to step aside and allow the club to bring in a new manager as they planned to do this summer. Hodgson has left his mark by managing 200 games and helping the club maintain their Premier League status. Owner Steve Parish is grateful for everything Hodgson has done and states that he will always be welcomed back to Selhurst Park.
I am curious as to how many people must have used Google Translate to confirm the meaning of the Korean phrase "하나를 수행" mentioned in Friday's News, Bits and Bobs section. Personally, I also searched for it and secretly hoped to find a mistake in conjugation that could have translated to a humorous phrase such as "He done did one." However, the translation was accurate and correct. Good job! - Jim Christie.
Kevin Worley had a fleeting thought of checking the translation of "하나를 수행." But he quickly realized that he should focus on improving his life instead.
Russell D Pulford asks if there is anything more boring than the repeated news about Kylian Mbappé potentially leaving PSG. Is there?
In my opinion, the Mbappé transfer story has gone on for so long that it has become tiresome. The only thing that could make it interesting again is if Wolverhampton Wanderers were to unexpectedly outbid Real Madrid and secure the deal. Peter Oh made a clever pun by calling them "The Boy Who Cried Wolves!"
Email your messages to the boss at theguardian.com with no prizes attached. The recipient of our prizeless letter of the day for today is Kevin Worley.
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