Newcastle make contingency plan as Man Utd eye Dan Ashworth - Alan Nixon

According to Alan Nixon at The Sun, Newcastle could target Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes if - and it's a big if - Jim Ratciffe can convince  Dan Ashworth to join Man Utd.

The report states that the 52-year-old has been identified as Ratcliffe's top target and will be approached if and when he and Sir Dave Brailsford secure a  25% stake in the club.

Ashworth has previously suggested that he is happy at Newcastle, but the club must be prepared to find a new director should he be tempted by a move to Old Trafford.

The former Brighton man has hardly been on Tyneside a year, but in that time he has helped to transform the club and develop a clear pathway for the future success of Newcastle, overseeing improvements in recruitment and bolstering our academy.

Should we lose Ashworth, Hughes already has an established relationship with Eddie Howe from their time at Bournemouth. He too is highly-rated, but it would be a massive blow and quite a shock to see our sporting director leave so soon.