Newcastle United has been informed that a prospective senior analyst is required to serve a stint at a competing club before joining their ranks, with Manchester United's Dan Ashworth being the orchestrator of this delay.
Luke Dickson communicated to the Manchester United hierarchy his intention to leave and join Eddie Howe's first-team coaching staff in a significant role earlier this year.
However, the powers that be at Old Trafford, with Ashworth at the helm as sporting director, have informed the 28-year-old that he cannot commence his new role until November.
This decision has been met with a collective sigh within Newcastle, with some viewing it as a retaliatory move following Ashworth's own departure from St James' Park in February. He was placed on gardening leave and only officially started at Manchester United in June after a £3 million compensation package was settled.
Despite the cost-cutting measures being implemented by the new INEOS-led administration, it is said that Dickson, a native of Berwick, will not receive any severance pay due to his decision to leave for his childhood club. Nevertheless, after five years as the lead academy analyst, he is still required to fulfill a contractual gardening leave period.
Ashworth's exit from Newcastle was contentious, with Mail Sport revealing earlier this year how the then-sporting director sent an email in February to Omar Berrada, the incoming chief executive at Manchester United, indicating his desire to accept a similar role at Old Trafford.
However, Ashworth inadvertently sent a blind copy to his Newcastle email address before realizing his mistake and deleting the evidence. This alerted his employers to his covert discussions, initiating a protracted and chilly process for his departure. It appears that relations have not improved in the interim.
SAUDI CUTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON NEWCASTLE
We have been informed that the recent news of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund reducing international spending will have no effect on Newcastle United.
Club chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan announced a decrease in investment from 30 to 18-20 percent at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, signaling a renewed focus on the domestic economy.
However, it is understood that while the proportion of foreign investment may decrease, the actual monetary investment is likely to increase. Most importantly, investment plans for established companies in their portfolio, such as Newcastle, remain unchanged.
Sources insist that PIF's commitment to the project is unwavering, but fans and observers believe that the extent of their interest will only be measured by the scale of plans to redevelop St James' Park or construct a new stadium. As always, actions will speak louder than words.
