Man Utd official document confirms £14.5m pay-out that makes mockery of Dan Ashworth Newcastle United deal

Ashworth joined Manchester United as sporting director from Newcastle last July after the clubs finally reached a compensation agreement. But the 53-year-old’s impact at Old Trafford was short-lived as he lasted just five months before his departure.

While the compensation fee Man United paid to Newcastle for Ashworth has not been officially confirmed, The Red Devils’ quarterly accounts have revealed just how much it cost the club to dismiss him.

According to Manchester United’s financial figures for the second quarter of the 2024-25 season, a total of £14.5million was paid in ‘exceptional costs’ related to the departures of Ashworth, manager Erik ten Hag and his backroom staff. Of that figure, £4.1million was paid to Ashworth in compensation while the remaining £10.4million was paid to Ten Hag and his staff.

Although the compensation figure Man United paid to Newcastle to release Ashworth from his contract at St James’ Park has not been officially confirmed, it is understood to be worth several million pounds. As a result, Manchester United paid the best part of £10million for five months of service from Ashworth.

The Red Devils sit 15th in the Premier League table with 13 games remaining.

Newcastle appointed Paul Mitchell as sporting director following Ashworth’s departure. As Mitchell was not attached to a club at the time, The Magpies were not required to pay any compensation fee.

Sporting director ‘a long-term role’

Discussing his role as sporting director, Ashworth described it as a ‘long-term role’. But his recent career path somewhat contradicts that after leaving Brighton & Hove Albion to join Newcastle in 2022 before joining Manchester United in 2024. Since leaving Manchester United, Ashworth has been linked with a sporting director’s position at Arsenal.

“This is quite a long-term role,” he told Training Ground Guru about the sporting director position. “It’s not a job you go into for 12 months and out you go again.

“I’ve hopefully got a number of years left working in football. I love being a technical director and have been fortunate to have had three wonderful opportunities to do the job.

“My ambition is to stay doing this job for as long as I possibly can, and after that, who knows?”

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