The billionaire from Failsworth didn’t become one of the world’s most successful businessmen by chance. His refusal to yield to Newcastle’s demands and secure Ashworth for ‘significantly’ less than half of The Magpies’ £20 million asking price feels like a significant victory for a club keen to move away from overpaying, as reported by The Sun.
Could this spell the end of the ‘Manchester United tax’?
United is taking a similarly tough stance with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, refusing to meet the £70 million asking price and opting to wait for Everton to blink. Meanwhile, a potential deal for Matthijs de Ligt not only seems strategically sound on the pitch but financially astute as well.
As German reporter Christopher Michel explains, Bayern Munich is willing to offload De Ligt for a reduced fee of £42 million, and the former Ajax captain is reportedly willing to take a pay cut to facilitate his move to Old Trafford.
This is where Ashworth’s influence comes into play.
Read more: The rise of Matthijs De Ligt, Golden Boy winner who had to play down comparisons to Franz Beckenbauer
Matthijs de Ligt of Netherlands in action during the international friendly match between Netherlands and Canada at De Kuip on June 6, 2024 in Rot…
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
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Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United could happen
Those De Ligt rumours went from zero to 60 almost straight after United made a breakthrough in their pursuit of the former Brighton chief on Monday, Ashworth beginning work immediately with the Red Devils.
That may just have something to do with Michel’s claims that Ashworth is a paid-up member of the De Ligt fanclub.
The reporter even writes, via Fussball News, that De Ligt was very high up on Ashworth’s wishlist at Newcastle United alongside Bayer Leverkusen ace and Bundesliga winner Odilon Kossounou.
“He is fully convinced of De Ligt’s sporting quality,” Michel writes on X.
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Ashworth is not expected to be the main voice with regards to Man United’s recruitment – that will be the preserve of technical director Jason Wilcox and the newly-arrived Christopher Vivell – but his renowned expertise should prove extremely effective all across the board as those Ineos-driven changes continue to sweep like a hurricane through Old Trafford.
Dan Ashworth a big fan of Bayern Munich ace
Bayern will certainly not stand in De Ligt’s way either, despite a series of colossal performances in an admittedly mixed spell in Bavaria.
Constantin Eckner, another Bundesliga reporter, tells talkSPORT that Bayern are hot on the heels of Jonathan Tah as De Ligt’s replacement.
“It’s getting so hot that we might burn our fingers now! It’s getting really hot,” Eckner explains (2 July, 12pm), the race to become United’s first Ineos-era signing seemingly now a three-horse gallop between De Ligt, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee.
“Bayern are actually ready to sell Matthijs de Ligt. They are open to selling him and they are demanding £42 million plus add-ons. He’s played pretty well for Bayern, but Bayern want to overhaul their squad.
“They are closing in on the signing of Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen and he would be the one who replaces Matthijs de Ligt.
“There is something to be said about De Ligt’s overall performance for Bayern as being a bit of a rollercoaster,” Eckner adds.
“In the 2022/23 season, the second half of the season he was the best player in the Bundesliga! The first half, not so much.
“Sometimes, what might be a little bit off-putting – not to colour him in a bad light – he always wants to be the defensive boss. He wants to be the boss of the defence and when he is not doing well, coaches are like ‘why is he talking that way?’