Dan Ashworth  ‘sits on’ Newcastle intelligence as Manchester United start date theory put forward.

Newcastle United put Dan Ashworth on gardening leave last week, and former Aston Villa CEO Christian Purslow has suggested a September start date if Manchester United can reach an arrangement with the Magpies.

Dan Ashworth has a ‘huge amount of brains’, so it would not make’sense’ for Newcastle United to allow the outgoing sporting director to start working for Manchester United this summer if the two clubs can reach a deal.

Following Ashworth’s gardening leave last week, Christian Purslow, the former managing director of Aston Villa who also served as a managing director at Liverpool and Chelsea, expressed his thoughts. Newcastle had hoped Ashworth would stay for the long term, but the club acted quickly after the 52-year-old notified the Magpies of his want to go after less than two years at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe has confirmed that Ashworth was in a ‘position of power’ with ‘a lot of intelligence and information’, and Newcastle are asking an eight-figure compensation payment of up to £20 million to shorten his extended notice period. Those demands are’silly’ in the eyes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and the Manchester United part-owner believes the thought of Ashworth being sidelined for the better part of two years if the Red Devils do not pay up is ‘absurd’.

However, Sir Jim admitted that Manchester United’s ‘organisation’ was ‘not good’ – manager Erik ten Hag currently reports directly to a CEO – and that the billionaire will need Ashworth sooner rather than later to realise his vision of closing the gap on the top in just two or three seasons. So, might the two clubs reach an agreement?

“I surely believe it will cost Manchester United if they want to sign Dan early because A. That is what the contract allows, and B. Purslow told talkSPORT: “If we believe what Eddie has said, Newcastle are in the market for profit and they need to pay for a replacement.” “So the actual question is, do I believe an arrangement will be reached to bring him there earlier? On balance, I do, but it will take some time.