Manchester United want to appoint Dan Ashworth as their next sporting director.
However, the Red Devils have not been able to secure an agreement over the compensation package with Newcastle United.
The Premier League side are demanding a fee of around £15 million for Ashworth and Manchester United are unwilling to pay up. If the two clubs cannot reach an agreement, Ashworth will be on a gardening leave for 18 months before he can join a new club.
It seems that Manchester United are now stepping up their efforts to get the deal done.
According to a report from the Times, Manchester United Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has had a face-to-face meeting with Amanda Staveley in order to sort out the Ashworth saga.
It remains to be seen whether the two can find a resolution that benefits them both. The two clubs have been locked in talks for weeks but they have not been able to come to an agreement.
Manchester United are looking to overhaul the footballing structure within the club and they believe that bringing in a quality sporting director could make a huge difference.
Dan Ashworth could transform Man United
Manchester United have been quite mediocre with their transfer business in recent seasons and most of their big money signings have being underwhelming. Ashworth has done an impressive job at Newcastle and he could transform Manchester United in the recruitment department.
It will be interesting to see if they can convince Newcastle to let him leave for a more reasonable price.
Meanwhile, Ashworth will be hoping to get started at Manchester United soon and he will look to help them put together a formidable squad capable of competing for trophies. It will be an exciting step up in his career.