Dan Ashworth has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle after finally telling the St James’ Park ­hierarchy he wants to join Manchester United. It seems the starting pistol signalling an intense period of ­haggling between the two clubs has been fired, with Newcastle wanting £20m in compensation. Ashworth has been sporting director at St James’ Park for 20 months and Newcastle’s majority Saudi Arabian owners will not allow a man they poached from Brighton to depart ­easily or cheaply. It had initially been thought that they would demand £10m in ­compensation for the 52-year-old former Football Association technical director, with that sum rising should Manchester United want Ashworth to begin work in the next calendar year. It is understood they are seeking £20m. In the absence of compensation being paid, Ashworth’s contract is believed to contain clauses that would prevent him from beginning a new role until early 2026. Manchester United, who have still to make a formal approach for Ashworth, have made it clear they are not prepared to pay anything near £20m and will endeavour to negotiate that figure down significantly. Their hand is strengthened by the reality that Newcastle are obliged to pay their outgoing sporting director’s full salary during his period of gardening leave. Ultimately, it is expected that lawyers will become heavily involved and some sort of compromise reached. Eddie Howe, Newcastle’s manager, had been concerned about Ashworth potentially furnishing Manchester United with inside information about, among other things, the Tyneside club’s recruitment plans. Ashworth was never part of Howe’s inner circle and, on Friday, ­Newcastle’s manager said: “The biggest thing Dan did was not change anything.” On Saturday Howe said he had not spoken to Ashworth, despite the latter’s presence at St James’ Park for Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Although Ashworth has apparently wanted to relocate to Old Trafford for some time he had delayed informing Newcastle of that desire until he received ­assurances that the lengthy “gardening leave” clause contained in his contract and high compensation demands from his ­current employers would not deter the Old Trafford board from securing his services.