Dan Ashworth 'holds secret meeting' with potential next Manchester United boss
Dan Ashworth met with former Brighton and Chelsea head coach Graham Potter last weekend as doubts over Erik ten Hag's future at Manchester United continue to grow.
Newcastle's sporting director Ashworth, 52, will join United once a compensation package is agreed by both clubs, having been placed on gardening leave by the Toon.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already poached Omar Berrada from Manchester City to become United's new chief executive and further changes are expected to be implemented by Ineos in the coming months. It's understood that not even Ten Hag himself is immune after overseeing an underwhelming campaign, although the club hierarchy will take their time in making a decision over the Dutchman's long-term future.
A new report from The Sun has now outlined that Ashworth recently met with Potter, who has been unattached since leaving Chelsea last April. The 48-year-old is viewed as the standout candidate to replace Ten Hag by Ratcliffe and his right-hand man, Sir Dave Brailsford, should United choose to make a managerial change.
Potter is believed to be waiting for the right role before returning to management. He has previously been touted as a future England manager and his stock remains high in spite of his unsuccessful stint at Stamford Bridge.
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Ashworth worked closely with Potter at Brighton, with the duo playing a significant role in the Seagulls' ascent up the Premier League. Ratcliffe also previously tried and failed with an attempt to take Potter to OGC Nice.
While Ratcliffe is an avid admirer of Potter, he has largely been coy on Ten Hag, whose future will hinge heavily on what Manchester United achieve between now and the end of the season. United are currently eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth place.
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Ashworth is expected to become Manchester United's new sporting director in the coming months (PA)Ten Hag insisted earlier this week that he isn't concerned about Ratcliffe's failure to endorse him, nor does he need a public show of support. He believes that he and Ineos are on the same page after talks behind the scenes.
"I'm here, I'm under contract for three seasons, so I don't care," he said. "I am in this process, I'm only focusing on the process, so I don't care what's going on around me. I have had many talks with Sir Jim Radcliffe, also with Sir Dave Brailsford and others in that group.
"So I know where we are talking about and I have a strong belief and I feel that they believe in me. But I'm not focusing about my personal circumstances. I'm just focusing on the team and I have to find solutions for this team so that they perform the best way they can.
"It's all about focusing on that and not getting distracted by any noise or whatever. I know what I'm doing. Consistently, we have had talks and we're talking about the future together."
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