Dan Ashworth meets another Premier League club in latest Newcastle x Manchester United twist

Dan Ashworth visited Wolverhampton Wanderers’ training ground while on gardening leave at Newcastle United, according to reports.

Toon chiefs exiled the sporting director in February after he announced his desire to join Manchester United. Both clubs are yet to agree on a compensation package, with Newcastle demanding £20million to release him from his contract early.

The figure has been branded “silly” by Red Devils minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who also slammed gardening-leave protocols at the London Marathon in April. Despite the public pushback, the Magpies maintain their hardball stance and appear no closer to reaching an agreement.

Ashworth is taking Newcastle to arbitration in an attempt to push through an Old Trafford switch. The 53-year-old alleges a breach of contract for placing him on gardening leave before he officially announced his desire to move.

In an embarrassing revelation for Ashworth, the Daily Mail reported last month that he had accidentally sent messages between himself and incoming Man United CEO Omar Berrada to his Newcastle email address. Berrada is also supposed to be on gardening leave from Manchester City until July.

This was before Ashworth made the Magpies aware that he wanted to leave the club. The i now claim he attended Wolves’ training ground after Newcastle placed him on leave.

Man United refute any wrongdoing, with Ashworth claiming to have been acting in a personal capacity. His son is on the books of Wolves’ academy and he lives nearby, having worked at West Bromwich Albion in the late noughties.

Ironically, Gary O’Neil was linked with the Man United hot seat shortly after Ashworth’s visit - although the two are not thought to be connected. Newcastle are yet to find his successor at St James’ Park despite a lengthy interview process.