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Manchester United want Dan Ashworth to be their new sporting director but their pursuit of him is proving to be complicated. With Ashworth under contract until the summer of 2026, Newcastle United are demanding a whopping £20m in compensation, and the Red Devils are refusing to stump up that kind of figure. As such, even though the 52-year-old has already agreed terms over a move to Old Trafford and been placed on gardening leave, the two parties have reached something of an impasse.
Fabrizio Romano provided a fresh update in the early hours of Monday morning, informing supporters that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will “try again” in a fresh round of talks this week. They want him through the door and in position “as soon as possible”.
Tellingly, United have already gone as far as sounding out potential members of Ashworth’s new-look recruitment team. Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox is aware of interest from the 13-time Premier League champions, though they are yet to formally approach the Saints.
Man Utd now in touch with former Liverpool chief
There’s now been a significant development regarding an alternative target, with The Mirror reporting that United have approached Julian Ward over a gig in Manchester.
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While Ward headed things up as the sporting director at Liverpool, he’d be working beneath Ashworth at United, and it remains to be seen whether he’s content in that kind of role. There’s also the possible issue of his Anfield allegiances, though it’s unclear whether those will be a consideration.
“Incredible” Ward would be a top appointment
Ward had to patiently work his way up the ranks at Liverpool, starting out as a scout before becoming the loan manager and then earning the title of assistant sporting director behind Michael Edwards. When Edwards left the club in 2022, it was inevitably Ward who stepped up to be the main man.
He’d negotiated the deal for Porto’s Luis Diaz as part of a gradual handover of power, and after striking four permanent deals in a busy 2022/23 campaign (including a potential club-record move for Benfica’s Darwin Nunez), he signed off by overseeing negotiations over Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister.
Julian Ward Liverpool deals (selected) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Player | Season | Signed from | Fee |
Luis Diaz | 21/22 | FC Porto | £50m |
Darwin Nunez | 22/23 | Benfica | £85m |
Calvin Ramsay | 22/23 | Aberdeen | £6.5m |
Fabio Carvalho | 22/23 | Fulham | £7.7m |
Cody Gakpo | 22/23 | PSV Eindhoven | £44m |
Alexis Mac Allister | 23/24 | Brighton and Hove Albion | £35m |
Ward, who did an “incredible” job in the eyes of Romano, can be pleased with his efforts. Nunez, Gakpo and Diaz have scored 67 goals and provided 36 assists between them so far, while Mac Allister has been a key player this season with a 95.2% Premier League starting record when available.
If he does move to United, Erik ten Hag could expect to be furnished with at least a couple of players from the Primeira Liga. Ward, who did business with Porto and Benfica during his brief stint at Liverpool, clearly has an extensive network of contacts in Portugal after working with the national team between 2008 and 2010.