Chris Sutton has claimed that he’s been left completely baffled by what is currently going at Newcastle United.
The Magpies look set to lose one of their key behind the scenes figures as Sporting Director Dan Ashworth has been placed on gardening leave ahead of a move to Man United.
Speaking on The Monday Night Club, Sutton claimed that he’d been left ‘slightly confused’ by everything that is going on with Ashworth as Newcastle look to get £20m out of their Premier League rivals.
Sutton says he ‘understands’ Newcastle’s position
It’s obviously been a big blow for Newcastle who were under the impression that Ashworth would be sticking around for the next few years trying to help them achieve their long-term goals.
In his line of work – developing the academy, organising a new recruitment team, investing in a new training ground – then you can only really see results if you’re in the job for at least five years or so.
That’s why this news will have disappointed Newcastle’s owners, though it’s believed that Ashworth was unhappy with how involved he was in the day-to-day goings on at the club.
But while he understands why Newcastle would be unwilling to let the director go for cheap, Sutton has still been left baffled by the whole situation.
On the show, Sutton said: “I am just slightly confused about this, I know what gardening leave is, but how long is it going to be?
“I saw Eddie Howe talk about this and his unhappiness about it, and I totally get this, in that Newcastle invested in Dan Ashworth and trusted him and he’s part of Newcastle’s plans going forward and Manchester United come in and he has his head turned.
“I understand the Newcastle position, I think they feel a bit hurt and let down by this move. But Manchester United are trying to better themselves and the guy has an incredible reputation.”
Newcastle don’t have to sell if they don’t want to
For once it is Newcastle who are in the position of power and hold all the cards when it comes to selling Ashworth as they are not absolutely desperate to lose him and don’t want to strengthen a rival so soon either.
Man United are adamant that they won’t be paying the full £20m for the 52-year-old, but that would then risk Ashworth not working at Old Trafford until 2026 at the latest.
Newcastle look to be getting some kind of revenge after the Jesse Lingard loan debacle from a couple of years ago when the Red Devils priced Newcastle out of a deal, so now they’re getting their own back.
Negotiations could go on for some time if the two teams cannot come to an agreement on how much will be paid for Ashworth so this definitely won’t be the last we hear from this story.
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