Dan Ashworth escape fee and Newcastle's stance as Man Utd bid to strike a deal - Report

On Wednesday morning, the Daily Star's Jeremy Cross reported that Manchester United will have to pay Newcastle £6m in compensation to land Dan Ashworth.

However, Mark Douglas at the i has been told be one source that the figure required is actually higher than £6m, insisting it would take "significant" compensation to lure him away from his role on Tyneside.

Any agreement would be followed by a lengthy period of gardening leave of up to 12 months, although Man Utd could agree to pay Newcastle a greater sum if that allowed him to start work at Old Trafford sooner.

That said, Douglas reports that Newcastle plan to put up a fight and are far from resigned to losing the 52-year-old. 'Noises coming from the club' insist it's 'far from a done deal', while a response from the Saudi PIF is also one to watch, who could remind Ashworth of our ambitious long-term plans or even offer the former Brighton man a pay-rise.

A formal approach from Man Utd is imminent and Newcastle are expected to press Ashworth for an update on his future, with clarity on his position and the possibility of recruiting a replacement important for the club in the short, medium and long-term.

Interestingly, the i reveal that an unnamed sporting director with Champions League pedigree and a proven track record has already indicated he'd be interested in the job, with a host of top class operators expected to put their names forward should Ashworth depart.

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