Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is hoping for a quick resolution to the Dan Ashworth speculation amidst interest from Manchester United.
Ashworth has informed Newcastle that he has an offer to become the new sporting director at Manchester United.
The 52-year-old is said to be keen to move to Old Trafford if the two clubs can work out a deal between themselves.
Manchester United are yet to contact Newcastle and the Magpies also do not want to get rolled over in negotiations, they are likely to demand hefty compensation and Ashworth would have to spend a considerable time on gardening leave.
Howe indicated that something will happen in the coming days but admitted that there is still no contact from Manchester United.
He said in a press conference: “Nothing as far as I’m aware.
“Obviously, it’s been in the news a lot and usually with these things that means something is going to happen.
“But as we speak now, we’ve had no contact.”
The Newcastle boss conceded that speculation around the sporting director’s future is unusual and said it is the kind of role that requires long-term commitment.
However, he is keen to have the situation resolved one way or the other to lift the cloud around Ashworth’s future.
“It’s an unusual situation. I’m used to speculation around players but this is different. Hopefully, there’s a quick solution.
“It’s a difficult one when you’re in that role, you need longevity to actually see the fruits of your labour.
“People have done it best in the Premier League with a period of stability. It takes a long time to get those processes right. Let’s see what happens.”
