Newcastle United and Manchester United have been at odds over Dan Ashworth in recent months

Manchester United have agreed a deal with Newcastle United for Dan Ashworth. After weeks of public spats and below-par offers, the outgoing sporting director is finally Old Trafford-bound.

Ashworth has been on gardening leave for four months after signalling his intentions to leave St James’ Park for a new challenge in Manchester. Newcastle have held firm in the face of public pressure, ensuring they didn’t lose their boardroom asset on the cheap.

The club’s £20m valuation for Ashworth was always seen as ambitious but an agreement has been reached which will further help Newcastle’s profit and sustainability concerns after a hectic weekend of exits on Tyneside.

Ashworth is expected to take up his new role in the coming days, ending a long, bruising saga for all parties. He will have overall responsibility for football performance, recruitment and operations at his new club, with new technical director Jason Wilcox reporting to him. Ashworth will report into his good friend and INEOS chief Sir Dave Brailsford.

INEOS’ Manchester United revamp now looks close to completion after CEO Omar Berrada swapped rivals Manchester City for Old Trafford, with Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake also expected to be announced as new backroom staff in due course.

Ratcliffe, who bought a minority stake in Manchester United earlier this year, finally has his man and can stop bashing Newcastle publicly over their Dan Ashworth stance. Speaking recently, the INEOS chief again took aim at the Magpies over Ashworth and his period on the sidelines.