Report: Dan Ashworth's reputation in tatters are more information comes out about Man United move

Manchester United are probably wishing they'd already paid Newcastle United their compensation fee for sporting director Dan Ashworth now.

It's far less likely that anyone would still have been looking into the circumstances of the move had it all been signed off already, but the longer it drags on, the more information comes to light that doesn't paint our former sporting director in a very good light at all.

Yesterday The Daily Mail reported that Dan Ashworth had copied his Newcastle United work email into a message regarding his decision to move to Manchester United. He quickly tried to erase the evidence, but on the internet, nothing is truly gone.

Today, more information has come to light from The Mail's probe that shows Ashworth to be a manipulative schemer as well as a Judas. (Our words, not theirs, for clarity.)

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Ashworth is desperately trying to deflect blame

Dan Ashworth claimed that Eddie Howe's comments about him made his position untenable.

Those comments being the ones made in February after rumours started gathering pace that Ashworth was set to go to Manchester United. Howe said that it's a worry that Ashworth could take up a new role with all the knowledge he has of Newcastle's operations and that he hoped for a quick resolution. Hardly makes his position untenable, if anything it suggests that the club should fight to keep him because he knows too much.

Anyway, the bigger problem here is, those comments were made a week after Ashworth had already agreed on the email to Omar Berrada that he would like to join him at Man United. So he'd already made his mind up before Eddie Howe had said anything.

Dan Ashworth has a paper-thin case for arbitration

As the cherry on top, the Mail has revealed the basis on which Ashworth is basing his arbitration case against the club.

Ashworth is claiming that he was placed on gardening leave before he'd given written notice to Darren Eales and therefore was dismissed rather than resigned.

Good luck arguing that one away, Danny Boy, after you'd signalled your intention to leave via email long before informing your current employer about your intentions.

It's going to be interesting to see how this one goes now, because if we were in Manchester United's position right now, we'd be having major second thoughts.