'Absurd' - Sir Jim Ratcliffe breaks silence on Man Utd's interest in Newcastle United's Dan Ashworth

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has broken his silence on Manchester United’s pursuit of Dan Ashworth after his purchase of 27.7% of Manchester United was formally agreed. Ratcliffe has purchased just over a quarter of shares in the Red Devils and will take control of the footballing operations at the club.

One of his first appointments will be to recruit a sporting director with Ashworth at the very top of his shortlist. Ashworth has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle United amid speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United and Ratcliffe has revealed his desire to come to an agreement over the 52-year-old he describes as a ‘ten out of ten’ sporting director.

Speaking to BBC, Ratcliffe said: "I think Dan Ashworth is a ten out of ten sporting director - one of the best around. He would be very good for Manchester United. It is understandable that somebody like Dan would see the Manchester United job as a very interesting challenge at this stage of his career.

"Ultimately, you can't really criticise Dan for looking at maybe the most coveted job in football as a sporting director - particularly with the challenge at Manchester United. What doesn't make sense is for Dan Ashworth to be sat doing nothing for 18 months."

With Ashworth on gardening leave, the Magpies can demand compensation from the Red Devils for the FA’s former technical director in order for him to start work with the club before his gardening leave has ended. If no agreement between the clubs can be reached, then Ashworth will be unable to begin work at Old Trafford until 2026. That compensation fee could amount to as much as £20m according to recent reports.

Ashworth is far from Ratcliffe’s only backroom addition, however, with the announcement that Omar Berrada will join the club. That deal between Manchester United and City was completed with minimal fuss and Ratcliffe believes it is ‘absurd’ to see Ashworth forced to spend time on gardening leave, urging Newcastle United to follow City’s lead in negotiations: "We'll have to see how it unfolds.” Ratcliffe said about their interest in Ashworth. “What I do think is completely absurd, is suggesting a man who is really good at his job sits in his garden for one and a half years.

"We had a very grown up conversation with City about Omar. When things got done we sorted it out very amicably. They could see why he wanted to take that challenge.

"You look at Pep, and when he’s done with one of his footballers he doesn’t want them to sit in the garden for one and a half years. He doesn’t do that. That’s not the way the UK works or the law works."

Newcastle United confirmed on Monday that they had placed Ashworth on gardening leave and that the club were beginning their search for his replacement. The 52-year-old spent just 20 months on Tyneside after joining from Brighton and Hove Albion in May 2022.