Report: Dan Ashworth’s Manchester United move in jeopardy as talks with Newcastle United stall
Dan Ashworth’s proposed move to Manchester United has hit a roadblock as Newcastle United stand firm on their asking price to release him from his contract.
Newcastle and Manchester United have been locked in talks over a compensation package that would see Dan Ashworth released from his contract early so he could start work at Man United sooner rather than later.
Ashworth is currently on gardening leave while the two clubs thrash out a deal, although HITC now claims that those talks are on shaky ground.
Newcastle are apparently refusing to back down from their £20million asking price and Man United are unwilling to meet their demands.
Darren eales speaks club media 767511966
Newcastle United
Darren Eales is playing hardball with Man United
We love it when things don’t go Manchester United’s way
We’re not laughing, you’re laughing. Okay, we’re laughing. But only a bit. Okay, a lot.
Newcastle’s search for Ashworth’s replacement continues while his future, apart from the fact that he will no longer be working for Newcastle, is now unclear. He may have to end up seeing out the remainder of his contract on gardening leave.
While that will cost Newcastle money as the club would have to keep paying his salary for that period, the sheer joy we’ll get from knowing that it’s stifling Manchester United’s vision has to make it worthwhile.
ADVERTISEMENT
What will Dan Ashworth’s Newcastle United legacy be?
Obviously, we expect that the deadlock will be broken at some point as Newcastle won’t want to be paying Ashworth for not doing anything for another 18 months, but we do take some perverse pleasure in seeing Manchester United not getting what they want.
As many people have liked to point out over the last 24 hours, Ashworth’s legacy at Newcastle now may well be failing to do his due diligence on Sandro Tonali and therefore not spotting his gambling problem before making a £55million bid.
Whatever his legacy is, it is unlikely to be a positive one after turning his back on the club so soon after joining.
Man Utd could make Mainoo world-class by signing £34m “warrior”
The United target is thriving in the Premier League this campaign.
Kobbie-Mainoo-England-Senior
Manchester United’s incredibly dramatic 4-3 FA Cup victory over fierce rival Liverpool could very well be the catalyst for a last-minute revival of the campaign.
After that result, the Red Devils are now in the semi-final against Coventry City, while also sitting sixth in the Premier League.
Man-united-Liverpool-FA-Cup
However, inconsistency has been a common theme for Erik ten Hag this season, meaning that progress is often halted almost instantly.
Having said that, there has been one constant, and that is the outstanding performance of Kobbie Mainoo, who could thrive even further next campaign if United do sign their current midfield target.
Man Utd’s search for a midfielder
Italian news outlet CalcioMercato recently reported that Man United are keen to reinforce the midfield department in the summer, with Joao Gomes said to be one of their main targets.
Ten Hag has first-hand experience playing against the Brazilian, with the 23-year-old being a key player in Gary O’Neil’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side, so the former Ajax boss has a strong understanding of what he could bring to the side.
Joao-Gomes-Wolves-1
It is reported that the former Flamengo player is estimated to be worth €40m (£34m), but Wolves are set to demand a higher fee at the end of the season.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanting to change the culture at the club, a player like Gomes fits the bill for the type of requirements the new owner will look for in a signing.
How Joao Gomes could slot in at Man Utd
Mainoo’s rise to the top has been simply unbelievable, to the point where he’s not only a key figure in the Man United side, but he’s also earned his first England cap.
At just 18 years old, the number 37 has started 14 Premier League matches while displaying the maturity and mentality of a seasoned professional with experience way beyond his years.
Kobbie-Mainoo-Man-Utd-Premier-League
The versatile midfielder’s position in the team has fluctuated between a few roles, but his main position has been as a defensive midfielder, like against Jurgen Klopp’s side last time out.
However, with the potential introduction of Gomes, Mainoo could be deployed in a more familiar and better-suited number eight position, which would allow him to showcase his ability to impact the game in the final third as well as drop deeper when needed.
Joao Gomes’ 23/24 PL Stats
Stats (per game)
Gomes
Tackles
3.5
Duels won
5.8
Balls recovered
5.5
Possession lost
9.3
Pass accuracy in own half
87%
Via Sofascore
As can be seen in the table above, showcasing Gomes’ average statistics in the Premier League this season, he’s the definition of a “warrior,” as dubbed by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, with his duels won, balls recovered, and tackles serving as evidence.
The Wolves gem with a “winning mentality” – as per Kulig – also ranks as the third-highest tackler in the entire league per game, which would see him slot alongside Mainoo perfectly.
Ten Hag’s midfield balance is currently all over the place, with Casemiro struggling to cover ground and keep up with intensity, as shown by his dribbled past per game average of 2.2, and the signing of Gomes could enable Mainoo to sprinkle his magic further up the field, just like the goal of the month he netted against Wolves in February.
Gomes also only loses the ball 9.3 times per game, which would provide much more control to United in possession while also limiting the number of times the team gets counterattacked, which would see Mainoo’s untouchable dribbling occur more often.
Overall, having the security of Gomes alongside Mainoo, who can simply act as a ball-winner and retainer, will enable the youngster to blossom into a world-class talent that he has already shown glimpses of.
Tom is a huge Manchester United fan, yet his football knowledge spans across Europe. He is also fascinated by the analytical side of the beautiful game.
Furthermore, he has been writing Premier League content for over a year, with content varying from previews to longer opinion pieces.
Leave a Reply