Newcastle United receive surprise Dan Ashworth backing with ‘gardening leave’ joke

Brighton CEO Paul Barber has defended Newcastle United’s decision to demand £20million compensation for Dan Ashworth.

As it stands, the Magpies’ sporting director is on gardening leave, unable to perform any duties amid interest from Manchester United. New Red Devils minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe headhunted Ashworth as the man to lead his Ineos-backed revolution at Old Trafford.

If the two clubs do not come to a compromise, Ashworth may be forced to sit on the sidelines until January 2026. This is a similar situation to one he found himself in when Newcastle approached Brighton two years ago.

Toon chiefs ultimately agreed around £4million to cut the 52-year-old free from the south coast and join the Tyneside project. Speaking to The Athletic, Brighton supremo Barber backed Newcastle’s hefty demands - and poked fun at the maintenance carried out on Ashworth’s garden.

“I like Dan a lot,” he said. “He is a friend and I enjoyed working with him but, in an area like technical director, Dan will be very aware that he was paid whatever he was paid at Newcastle, they had a notice period to protect him and that it goes both ways because he went through it with us.

“And so then the ball is in Manchester United’s court. If they decide they will pay it and accelerate him joining, that’s their choice. Gardening leave? I keep joking with Dan that if he does any more he’ll be the most skilled landscape gardener in the country but that’s the nature of our business.

“If clubs are going to take each other’s staff, there has to be financial compensation to shorten the notice period or they have got to expect there is going to be a long wait. The long wait is designed to protect our processes, our targets and our thinking.

“It’s only fair and Dan is a very fair guy. He will be the first to accept that this is the way it is and the ball is in Sir Jim’s court.”