To take Dan Ashworth’s job, Newcastle United is looking for a new sporting director.
Reports suggest that Newcastle United has conducted interviews with Rui Pedro Braz, the chief of Benfica, as a potential replacement for Dan Ashworth. Currently, Ashworth, aged 53, is still on gardening leave at St James’ Park, awaiting a compensation agreement with Manchester United. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the new minority owner of Manchester United, has targeted Ashworth as his preferred candidate for the role of sporting director at Old Trafford.
The billionaire from Ineos, however, has expressed frustration with Newcastle’s firm negotiating stance, describing the situation as “a bit silly” at a recent event. Executives at Newcastle United are insisting on a substantial fee to release Ashworth from his contract, making his position at Tyneside now unmanageable.
Newcastle expressed their “disappointment” regarding the departure of the former Brighton individual in a club statement. However, they assured supporters that the search for a replacement has already commenced. According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Benfica’s top executive, Braz, is reportedly at the forefront of their list of potential successors to Ashworth.
A former pundit, Braz transitioned into a leadership role at Estadio da Luz in 2022 after joining as general director a year prior. Despite his relatively brief tenure, the 45-year-old has facilitated significant transfer deals, including Goncalo Ramas’ move to Paris Saint-Germain, Darwin Nunez’s transfer to Liverpool, and Enzo Fernandez’s £110 million transfer to Chelsea.
Last year, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly considered Braz for the position of sporting director. Recent reports indicate that discussions have already occurred with Newcastle, with Braz traveling to London for an interview.
Braz wouldn’t be the first Portuguese individual linked to the impending vacancy. Tiago Pinto has also been mentioned as a potential target for Newcastle following his departure from Roma a month ago.