Newcastle United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, recently made a blunder by inadvertently revealing confidential negotiations with incoming Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada via email. This mistake may help Newcastle demand a higher fee from Manchester United, although Ashworth has already lost his job at his current club.
Ashworth emailed Berrada, who was on gardening leave from Manchester City, expressing interest in the Manchester United job. However, he mistakenly copied his Newcastle email address, exposing the covert discussions and breaching Premier League regulations and confidentiality clauses.
The communication between Ashworth and Berrada took place in early February, with Manchester United not yet informing Newcastle of their interest in Ashworth. Berrada officially started at Old Trafford on July 13, having been on gardening leave for less than a month when the interactions occurred. This may have also breached the terms of his contract with Manchester City.
Ashworth had reportedly shared details of his deal with Newcastle after leaving Brighton, potentially breaching confidentiality agreements with both clubs. Upon informing Newcastle of his intention to join Manchester United on February 18, he was placed on gardening leave until the end of 2025.
Despite this, Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has not made an acceptable offer to expedite Ashworth’s release, leading Ashworth to consider arbitration to force the move. The Premier League could investigate the situation, as its rules require clubs, directors, and officials to act with “utmost good faith” towards each other, prohibiting dishonest conduct or actions aimed at circumventing regulations.
In the aftermath of these revelations, there is increased scrutiny over Ratcliffe’s understanding of the football industry, which has been called into question. His actions, such as eliminating staff benefits during the FA Cup final and banning working from home, have caused discontent among Manchester United employees, according to club sources.
Both Newcastle United and Manchester United declined to comment on the situation, while Manchester City also declined to provide a statement.
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