Manchester United standing firm over Dan Ashworth demands after discovering real fee Newcastle paid Brighton

Manchester United are standing firm amid discussions to prise sporting director Dan Ashworth from Newcastle.

United have head-hunted Ashworth, who has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle, to oversee their football operations. The Manchester Evening News revealed early last month Ashworth wants to join United.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe branded Newcastle "silly", "stupid" and "absurd" for reputedly demanding a fee as much as £20million for Ashworth. United sources said last month they would not pay £10m to recruit the 53-year-old.

Although Ashworth's move from Brighton to Newcastle in 2022 was widely reported as £4m, a well-placed source said Newcastle paid "significantly less" than that figure for the former FA director of elite development.

United do not believe it is realistic for Newcastle to demand an eight-figure fee for a member of staff who joined the club less than two years ago.

"I think Dan Ashworth is clearly one of the top sporting directors in the world, I've no doubt," Ratcliffe said last month. "He's a very capable person. He's interested in the Manchester United job because it's probably the biggest sporting director job in the world just now, with the biggest challenge.

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"It would be different if you were the sporting director at Manchester City because you would just be maintaining a level, at Manchester United you've got quite a significant building job. I think he would be a very good addition to Manchester United but he needs to decide whether he's going to make that jump.

"We've obviously had words with Newcastle. They would clearly be disappointed to lose Dan. Newcastle have