Who is Dan Ashworth? The Newcastle transfer guru linked to Man Utd

Jacque Talbot

• 31 Dec 2023 09:00 CST
• 1 min read

Dan Ashworth is Newcastle’s technical director who has been linked with a move to Manchester United ahead of their Ineos revamp.

The anticipated move is linked to the prolonged acquisition process by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who finally saw his stake of 25 per cent ratified and announced on Christmas Eve. Ashworth is the first choice for the technical director role, while Paul Mitchell is thought to be taking up the spot for sporting director.

FootballTransfer reported that Ashworth would be open to a move to Old Trafford if he was allowed a majority of say in the club’s recruitment. His journey in football administration started when he was technical director at West Bromwich Albion, director of elite development at the Football Association, and technical director at Brighton and Hove Albion.

How long has Dan Ashworth been at Newcastle?

While at Brighton, Ashworth's responsibilities extended beyond recruitment, and he played a crucial role in overseeing successful transfers, including the acquisitions of Tariq Lamptey, Jakub Moder, and Marc Cucurella.

At Newcastle, he has secured the signings of the likes of Tino Livramento, Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Alexander Isak, and Sven Botman.

Ashworth's playing career includes a stint at Norwich City during his youth, followed by a period with non-league clubs Eastbourne Town, St. Leonards, and Wisbech Town.

Newcastle appointed Dan Ashworth as their sporting director in June 2022, and his recruitment has led them to one of their greatest eras in the Premier League.