Dan Ashworth’s transfer hits & misses as Man Utd close in on pinching Newcastle’s ex-Brighton chief as sporting director
MANCHESTER UNITED are closing in on Newcastle’s highly-rated director of football Dan Ashworth.
The former West Brom, Brighton and FA chief has developed a reputation as one of the shrewdest transfer minds in the game.
And he is set to be handed a bumper war chest to turn around the Red Devils’ fortunes if, as expected, he makes the switch to Old Trafford.
Ashworth only joined Newcastle from Brighton in the summer of 2022 but he has already been approached by Man Utd and an agreement could be reached as soon as next week.
Ahead of the move, SunSport has taken a look at his hits and occasional misses in the transfer market.
HITS
Kaoru Mitoma
Ashworth forged a reputation at Brighton for signing hidden gems for peanuts – and there is no better example than Mitoma.
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Arguably his greatest ever transfer, the Japanese winger was snapped up for just £2.5million from Kawasaki Frontale in 2021.
With 13 goals and 14 assists in 66 appearances, Manchester United have been linked with Mitoma previously and you imagine he will be right at the top of Ashworth’s wishlist at Old Trafford.
Moises Caicedo
The Ecuadorian midfielder has struggled since leaving Brighton for Chelsea last summer after Brighton made a staggering profit north of £110m.
Signed as a complete unknown for just £4.5m from Independiente del Valle in 2021, Chelsea splashed a British record £115m on Caicedo just 45 Prem appearances later.
As value for money signings go, Ashworth is unlikely to ever top Caicedo at Man United.
Marc Cucurella
Another who has struggled since making the switch from Brighton to Chelsea, Cucurella is another example of Brighton’s stunning ‘buy low, sell high’ policy under Ashworth.
The Spanish left-back was landed for £15m from Getafe and was a revelation as the Seagulls finished ninth in 2021-22, landing the Player of the Season gong.
Chelsea and Manchester City battled for his signature, with the Blues securing Cucurella for £62m in another massive win for Ashworth and the South Coast club.
Alexis Mac Allister
Brighton’s recruitment network under Ashworth was the envy of Europe – with Mac Allister another on a long list of unearthed diamonds.
Bought as untapped potential from Argentinos Juniors for just shy of £7million, the Argentinian World Cup winner had two loans before making his mark at the Amex.
The midfielder bagged 20 goals and nine assists for Brighton before Liverpool came calling in a deal worth up to £52m.
Alexander Isak
Instead of being responsible for identifying players at Newcastle, Ashworth oversaw recruitment at St James’ Park.
Toon have spent huge sums under Saudi ownership compared to Brighton, with Isak the one signing under his short reign you could see joining him at Manchester United.
He won’t come cheap given the Magpies paid Real Sociedad a club record £60m for the Swedish striker in 2022, but Isak, 24, has scored 20 Prem goals in 39 games and has the potential to become one of the world’s best.
Anthony Gordon
Nobody outside of Tyneside thought Newcastle had got a good deal when paying Everton £45m for Gordon in January 2023 after just seven goals in 78 games at Goodison Park.
But fast forward 13 months, after a difficult start to life at Newcastle, and the Scouser is starting to look like money very well spent.
The winger has seven Prem goals and five assists so far this campaign and could force his way into England’s Euros squad with a strong end to the campaign.
MISSES
Sandro Tonali
The one major blotch on Ashworth’s CV is the £52 million spent on “gambling addict” Sandro Tonali.
The Italian was hit and miss at the start of the season but before he was slapped with a 10-month betting ban in October.
Midfielder Tonali could still prove a good signing in years to come, it’s been Ashworth’s worst piece of business at Newcastle by far.
Lewis Hall
The young left-back joined on loan from Chelsea last summer with an obligation to buy for £28m.
Yet despite Newcastle’s crippling injury crisis, Hall, 19, has barely been used by Mags boss Eddie Howe and his long-term future at St James’ Park remains unclear.