Dan Ashworth saga finally looks set to come to an end after almost five months - David Ornstein

Dan Ashworth finally looks to be on his way to Manchester United after spending almost five months tending his garden since telling Newcastle United he wanted to leave.

Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought into Manchester United it was always on the cards that Newcastle's sporting director Dan Ashworth was going to defect to the Manchester Reds.

He finally summoned up the courage to inform Newcastle after much talking behind their backs (and copying in his subterfuge to his NUFC email address - idiot) and was immediately placed on gardening leave while the two clubs negotiated a compensation package.

Newcastle were reportedly demanding anywhere between £15m-£20m to release Ashworth from his contract while Manchester United were offering three packs of panini stickers and a 10p mix-up, or something equivalent.

PSR now looks to have been a factor

Neither club have been willing to back down for the longest time and while the Magpies have stayed pretty silent on the matter, Mr Ratcliffe has been anything but, taking time after the London Marathon to aim a dig at Newcastle and recently crying to Bloomberg about us too.

Finally, though, there appears to be movement as The Athletic are reporting that the green light has been given for the move.

No fee has been mentioned yet, but after Newcastle were busy in the transfer market yesterday, it feels like the PSR shortfall gap has been closed and that is what has paved the way for the move.

Newcastle are yet to appoint a successor to Ashworth

Ashworth is set to take up his new position with immediate effect which means we won't get to see how he would have got on with his arbitration case against the club. Probably best for him, let's be honest.

Newcastle are still to appoint a successor to Ashworth having been rejected by their top choice, Dougie Freedman who opted to stay at Crystal Palace.

Hopefully, the club gets somebody in soon to avoid another day like yesterday which saw us sell two bright prospects we'd otherwise never have sold.