Manchester United poach Dan Ashworth to teach Newcastle a harsh reality

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Even individuals who don't often speak publicly or cautiously choose their words may run the risk of making statements that don't withstand the test of time. In June 2022, Dan Ashworth stated, "I can't wait to start working immediately and am thrilled to be a part of a team that's aiding the club in growing and achieving long-term victories."

The blog talks about Newcastle's sports director, Ashworth, who was recently announced as Manchester United's new hire. However, he is currently on gardening leave and cannot start working immediately. Both his current and future employers need to negotiate the duration of his limbo period. Manchester United is willing to wait up to a year, while Newcastle suggests that Ashworth might not begin until 2026. The compensation amount is also being debated, with United possibly asking for £20m to bring him in sooner, and the other party unwilling to pay more than £10m. The situation is quite different from the past, where transfers involved players like Andy Cole and not a director of football. Cole's move happened quickly and was shocking, while Ashworth's deal seems to be more protracted.

Although Ashworth was brought in to provide stability at St James' Park, it seems he only offered a temporary solution as he's now being sought after to lead the way towards lasting success at Old Trafford. It's interesting to note that, even though Newcastle has recognized the need to sell players to comply with Profitability and Sustainability Rules, the first big departure could be the very person they hired to manage their recruitment strategy.

Moreover, there is a feeling that the hierarchy of the game has remained unchanged, which may come as a surprise given Newcastle's acquisition by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia in 2021. The powerful have become vulnerable, as the club with vast resources - albeit constrained by the limits of Financial Fair Play - has turned on itself.

There are various explanations as to why Ashworth has decided to relocate. For one, he may feel that he has limited authority at St. James' Park compared to other potential workplaces. Additionally, his residence is situated much closer to Manchester than it is to Tyneside, making the commute more manageable. Furthermore, his close partnership with Dave Brailsford has likely influenced his decision. Some may view this move as an instance of the traditional power structure reclaiming dominance.

Newcastle was thought to be grabbing important people from Manchester United at this point, but it's happening the other way around. This could show that Manchester United is regaining strength with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's arrival. The fact that the super-rich football clubs can now be related to the oil, gas, and energy industry is noteworthy. We can also see a difference in the involvement of a local boy who is a lifelong fan and the contribution of a state that's located miles and miles away.

This shows how delayed implementation of rules in football has affected teams like Newcastle, as they now have restrictions on their spending. This is different from the past, where the arrival of wealthy competitors (like Chelsea or Manchester City) would mean that Manchester United was their target. This was because Manchester United was the better team at the time.

However, the newly wealthy individuals have often chosen United as their destination. 20 years ago, many of the players that Sir Alex Ferguson had wanted to sign ended up at Stamford Bridge instead. A couple of years later, Manchester City put up well-known advertisements that said "Welcome to Manchester" for Carlos Tevez, the forward whom they had taken from United. Samir Nasri was also being considered by United but he eventually joined City.

One of the most well-known displays was the billboard that went up when Carlos Tevez signed with Manchester City.

The present era is different from the past. Previously, Newcastle had a reputable recruitment process that was well-regarded. However, recent issues with signing players such as Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall, and Harvey Barnes have caused the summer 2023 transfer window to be seen as a failure. Despite this setback, Newcastle has managed to avoid the same problems that other football clubs have faced.

Although they didn't shop in the same places often, Newcastle has successfully discovered many young players who were on the rise, even before Ashworth's time with them. By improving players like Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, and Bruno Guimaraes, they were able to get a good return on their investment. When they did sign older players, they made sure not to spend as much as they would for someone like Casemiro. So far, they have yet to find their own version of the talented footballer Antony.

In the last five transfer periods, Newcastle has spent an estimated £400 million and has made more impressive purchases. There is speculation that if Ashworth's duties extend beyond just transfers, and if Newcastle's director of football Jason Wilcox is being considered for a position at the club, they may be trying to replicate Newcastle's success. Despite being seven points behind Newcastle in the standings, Manchester United has lost to Newcastle in their last three meetings. If Ashworth joins United soon, the club may gain an advantage by utilizing knowledge of Newcastle's strategies and potentially going after the same players as Newcastle.

Prior to Ashworth's departure, there was a realization that this season has proven Newcastle's vulnerability in terms of losing players. Some individuals affiliated with St. James' Park would argue that they were already aware of this, recognizing that last season was a noteworthy accomplishment and that qualifying for the Champions League happened earlier than expected.

However rich Newcastle might be, they still receive interest from other football clubs. In January, Bayern Munich tried to acquire Kieran Trippier, and there are speculations that Guimaraes might be leaving in the summer. Nonetheless, the person who would normally have been responsible for finding a replacement for Guimaraes may actually be leaving first.

The addition of Dan Ashworth to the mix could make things more complicated between two rival clubs who were contending for the championship in the 1990s. Old Trafford usually came out on top, but Newcastle supporters have been singing "Shearer turned you down" for almost thirty years. Alan Shearer chose to stay in his hometown, but some might interpret Ashworth's arrival in Manchester as a move by United to show up Newcastle's up-and-coming aspirations.