Manchester United are preparing for a compensation battle with Newcastle over Dan Ashworth after finally making a formal approach for their highly-rated sporting director.
Newcastle announced in a statement on Monday afternoon that Ashworth had formally begun a period of gardening leave after the club's sporting director indicated he wanted to move to Old Trafford in a similar role.
The Tyneside club's statement came in the week of a formal approach from United interim chief executive Patrick Stewart for Ashworth's services.
Telegraph Sport revealed on Sunday how Newcastle are expected to push for a compensation payment of at least £20 million if United want Ashworth to return to work before the stipulated duration of his gardening leave.
It is understood Ashworth's contractually agreed period during which he cannot work for another top Premier League club is twice as long as initially thought and he could be prevented from taking up a role as United's director of football until 2026 to take.
It is believed that United are willing to be patient on this matter. Negotiations will now begin as United attempt to reach a compromise with Newcastle.
United have already completed a deal with Manchester City for Omar Berrada, who will not start his role as the club's CEO until the summer when a period of gardening leave ends.
In a statement, Newcastle said: "Newcastle United can announce that Dan Ashworth has begun a period of garden leave.
"We are of course disappointed that Dan has chosen to leave, but our exciting journey does not stop and the process to recruit a new sporting director will begin immediately.
"We thank Dan for his efforts at Newcastle United and we wish him and his family all the best for the future."
Newcastle are now expected to step up their search for a replacement sporting director ahead of a big summer for the club.
Manchester United declined to comment.
Around 250 jobs at Manchester United are likely to be at risk due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans for a massive streamlining operation at Old Trafford.
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United's new minority shareholder is expected to hire an external accountant to review the club's staffing levels, amid an expected restructuring that could see cuts of around 20 to 25 percent of its existing workforce.
According to the club's latest data, United employed 1,112 staff as of June 30 last year, by far the highest among the Premier League's big six.
Liverpool was next with 1,005 employees, while champions Manchester City have 520 employees. Chelsea employed 788 people, Tottenham 719 and Arsenal 649, according to the most recent reports from those clubs.
United's structure has faced criticism over the years for being too bloated and bureaucratic, which sources say has often affected the speed and quality of decision-making.
Ratcliffe is said to want to create much clearer lines of communication and decision-making across the board and remove all "layers" of bureaucracy that reduce accountability and hinder efficiency, in a bid to create a 'best in class' culture. United declined to comment.
With Premier League and UEFA rules limiting United's financial space after years of poor recruitment in the transfer market, Ratcliffe also wants to ensure no money is wasted as he tries to get the club back to the top.
A source told Telegraph Sport: "One of the great things about Ineos is that there is incredible, streamlined decision-making. Jim hates layers. He hates matrices. He wants to know who is responsible."
Ratcliffe is set to take full control of United's football operations and gain influential say over key decisions within the company, as his £1.03 billion deal for a 28.9 percent stake in the club comes to an end is about to be formally completed.
In addition, United are working on a deal to entice Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox into a senior recruitment role, which would theoretically see him reporting to the sporting director.
All three figures are highly regarded within football circles, with well-placed sources telling Telegraph Sport that the actions reflect the "seriousness" with which Ratcliffe approaches the task of restoring success to United and his belief that there is "no time to lose ' is.
Of United's 1,112 full-time employees, 1,068 are based in Britain, while a further 44 are spread across the rest of the world, including the US and Hong Kong.
United also employed around 2,517 temporary staff on matchdays last season across a range of sectors including security, catering, ticketing, hospitality and marketing services.
Sir Dave Brailsford, the Ineos sporting director who will sit on the board of United's football club alongside Ineos CEO Jean-Claude Blanc, is about to formally begin his in-depth review of the club's football operations .
It is expected that Ratcliffe and his team will gain a clearer understanding of how things are currently managed, alongside a possible review of the club's staff structure by an external auditor.
Ratcliffe has been a strong advocate of fast decision-making at Ineos, the petrochemical giant he founded. "Decisions are made quickly and efficiently, with a crystal clear delegation of authority," says John McNally, the CEO of Ineos Project One, which is overseeing the creation of a £5 billion chemical plant in Antwerp, Belgium, in the book Grit , Rigor & Humor: the Ineos story.
"No matrix decision trees! In fact, we carefully avoid the word "matrix" when talking to owners. The responsibility is sharply defined; there's nowhere to hide when things go wrong, but there's plenty of room to shine when things go right - just the way it should be!"
Joe Walton, CEO of Ineos Oligomers, echoed these sentiments in the same book. "Ineos has a streamlined management structure for such a large company," he said. "A streamlined management structure means fast decision-making, not 'analysis paralysis'. INEOS values responsibility and has no hierarchy to hide in."
Meanwhile, Major League Soccer team Minnesota United are close to reaching an agreement to appoint United assistant coach Eric Ramsay as their new head coach.
