Man United shot in foot over deal as Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces ’12-month wait’

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to have identified Newcastle United chief Dan Ashworth as his top choice to become Manchester United’s sporting director under the new regime. The Magpies, on the other hand, appear set to derail Ratcliffe’s plans with a move that could force him to re-direct his search.

On Monday, the 71-year-old tycoon hopes to finalize his £1.3billion deal for a 25% stake in Manchester United.

Legal issues, including the transfer of full sporting control from the Glazer family, have taken time to resolve.

However, there is hope that United supporters will soon receive the long-awaited confirmation of the agreed-upon minority investment.

The Premier League will take six to eight weeks to pass the agreement once it has been ratified. Ratcliffe and INEOS will have to wait until then to have any direct influence, but they can put the pieces in place.

A revamped transfer unit led by a new sporting director and head of recruitment is one of the priorities in their planned overhaul of United’s football operation.

The latter has reportedly been eyed by Paul Mitchell, Michael Edwards, Dougie Freedman, and Andrea Berta.

According to reports, Ratcliffe prefers Ashworth to replace John Murtough as United’s sporting director.

However, luring Ashworth away from Tyneside is proving difficult less than two years into his job at the heart of Newcastle’s exciting Saudi Arabian revolution.

Newcastle are confident of keeping the 52-year-old, who is content with his current role shaping Eddie Howe’s transfer strategy, according to the Mail.

A formal offer from United would put both parties on the spot, but Ratcliffe’s dream job will not come cheap.

According to the report, while Ashworth’s Newcastle contract does not include a release clause, the club would demand significantly more than his £1.5 million annual salary to let him go.

Last summer, the St James’ Park club paid Brighton and Hove Albion £5 million in compensation to hire Ashworth.

A 12-month notice period in his current contract adds to the obstacles United would have to overcome in order to hire him in the coming months.

If Ratcliffe is desperate to work with Ashworth, who is well-liked by INEOS executives, he could wait for him to serve his notice period and make do in the meantime.

However, the British billionaire will undoubtedly want to make an immediate impact at Old Trafford. If Newcastle digs in their heels as expected, this would almost certainly mean looking into other options.