"It would be a blow" - Journalist reacts after significant Newcastle United update emerges

Newcastle United’s hierarchy will suffer a major blow if they are unable to welcome Dan Ashworth to St James’ Park as their new director of football until the final months of the year, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Magpies have been eager to fill the behind-the-scenes role for an extensive period, with them even hiring specialist recruitment firm Nolan Partners in December as they looked to find the right candidate for the job.

According to the Daily Mail, Ashworth could be made to wait until November before taking up his role as Newcastle’s director of football.

The report suggests negotiations over Ashworth’s release from gardening leave are ongoing between the Magpies and Brighton & Hove Albion, but his arrival on Tyneside will not be imminent unless significant progress is made.

Ashworth has been on gardening leave since resigning as Brighton’s technical director in February, with the Seagulls revealing the 51-year-old walked away due to looking to ‘take a similar role at another Premier League club’.

Just 24 hours after his resignation, it emerged that Ashworth had already entered advanced talks with Newcastle having held initial discussions in the early days of 2022.

It is understood that Brighton are holding out for a substantial compensation package to allow Ashworth to cut his notice period short.

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O’Rourke believes a lengthy delay in Ashworth’s appointment would have a major impact on Newcastle’s short-term plans.

The journalist also feels it would not please the Saudi Arabia-based Public Investment Fund, which led a £305million takeover of Newcastle last October.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “It