Ratcliffe plots Newcastle raid after Man Utd takeover

Stuart Telford

• 8 Dec 2023 15:30 GMT
• 3 min read

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's minority investment in Manchester United is set to be confirmed soon, and it will be followed by the appointment of Newcastle's sporting director Dan Ashworth if the INEOS chief has his way.

Ratcliffe has agreed to pay £1.3 billion for a 25 per cent share in the Red Devils that will see him take 'sporting control' at Old Trafford.

While Newcastle have a host of top performers on the field, such as Burno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier or Anthony Gordon, is it the man that helped bring them to St James' Park that Ratcliffe wants to acquire.

Sir Dave Brailsford Director of Sport at INEOS, and has been leading an inquiry into sporting operations at Old Trafford, and sees close friend Ashworth as the man to bring them back to winning ways.

"Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is a target for Manchester United to head up their new footballing department under Sir Jim Ratcliffe," report 90mins' Graeme Bailey and Scott Saunders.

Sweeping changes at Utd

As well as Ashworth, the report goes on to claim that PSG director Jean-Claude Blanc will fill the role of CEO now that Richard Arnold had left, while Paul Mitchell, formerly of Monaco, is wanted as Head of Recruitment.

The Glazer family are expected to formally announce Ratcliffe's partial takeover before Christmas, with the other appointments to follow in due course.

United are set for a busy January, with Casemiro and Raphael Varane recently joining Jadon Sancho on the transfer list.

All three have potential suitors in the Saudi Pro League, but Sancho wants to stay in Europe, with former club Borussia Dortmund lining up a swap deal involving him and Donyell Malen.

It is understood Ratcliffe will give Erik ten Hag more time as manager, not blaming the Dutchman for the poor form that recently saw them beaten 1-0 by Newcastle.