April 26 – The row between Manchester United and Newcastle over the latter putting their sporting director Dan Ashworth on gardening leave is set to go to arbitration in an effort to resolve the impasse.
Ashworth (pictured) has been on gardening leave since February 19 after informing Newcastle he wanted to join the revamped set-up at United who want him to take up a similar role.
There has reportedly been no agreement over compensation and United have become increasingly resigned to not getting Ashworth into the club until after the summer transfer window has closed.
Yet even that hinges on a resolution to the impasse and so far the two parties are a long way apart with a possible expensive court battle on the horizon
Reports claim Newcastle want United to pay £20 million to release Ashworth out of his contract. However, new United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe is apparently reluctant to pay that much.
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