Dan Ashworth to Man Utd: Huge net worth, famous son and Newcastle United £20m asking price

Manchester United will have to pay an eye-watering £20 million to unshackle Dan Ashworth from his Newcastle United contract and green light a move to the Red Devils.

The Sir Jim Ratcliffe era at Old Trafford is picking up speed and the club wants the Newcastle United sporting director to spearhead its future. Last week, Football insider Fabrizio Romano reported that Ashworth has already said 'yes' to the Red Devils, which he sees as a big opportunity, despite having only moved to Newcastle United from Brighton in February 2022.

The 52-year-old is regarded as one of the best in the business when it comes to helping run a football club and specialises in player recruitment but the move will be easier said than done. The Magpies are demanding £20 million from their rivals and, if not paid, Ashworth would have to abide by a contract clause preventing him from beginning a new role until 2026.

Ashworth, who has been placed on gardening leave, has also previously worked at West Brom and helped the club earn two promotions and two top-half Premier League finishes. His success caught the attention of the FA who then signed his services as a director of elite development.

Manchester United hit 'stumbling block' in Newcastle United negotiations

The Premier League approved Sir Jim Ratcliffe's purchase of a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United this week after a deal was confirmed in December. Interest in bringing in Ratcliffe shows real intent but NewcastleWord reports that there is a 'stumbling block' in any potential agreement.

Ashworth’s existing deal includes a 12 month gardening leave clause if he was to decide to move to another club. Manchester United are determined to get Ashworth at Old Trafford as soon as possible, but would need to pay the Magpies additional compensation to secure the move, which could amount to £10 million.

Dan Ashworth has famous footballing son

It is Dan Ashworth in the headlines this week but the 52-year-old's son is also a name of prominence in the footballing world. Zac Ashworth is 21 years old and on the books at Championship club West Brom, where his father had previously worked as technical director.

Ashworth junior joined the West Brom academy at just 10 years old and worked his way up through the ranks. He made his senior debut in an FA Cup match against Brighton in January 2022 and is on loan at Bolton Wanderers this season.

The full-back, who has made 20 appearances in all competitions this term, is also a Wales under-21 player.

Dan Ashworth huge net worth

Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is reported to have an impressive net worth of around £4 million. The football bigwig's earnings have come from his roles at West Brom, Brighton and Newcastle United in recent years. The Daily Mail reports he is on a salary of £1.5 million at Newcastle United.

Ashworth did enjoy his own brief playing year at Eastbourne Town but won't have been on the huge contracts that stars are on today. The former College of West Anglia scholar has also worked as a football coach and academy director at Peterborough United.

While Ashworth's £4 million is a figure many may only dream of, it is made to look humble by the huge earnings of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. The Newcastle United owners are worth around £538 billion while, at Manchester United, the Glazers have a reported net worth of £3.6 billion and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is at £30 billion.