The 'other' outgoing Newcastle United deal
Amid speculation over Yankuba Minteh's Newcastle United future, an agreement could be closer for a higher-profile departure.
Time is running out for a clutch of Premier League clubs.
Newcastle United are understood to be among the teams needing to sell one or more players by June 30 to stay within the division’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
And all eyes have been on the exit door at St James’ Park amid a need to sell by the end of the month.
Clubs must not lose more than £105million over a three-year period, and Newcastle have invested heavily in players since a October 2021 takeover by a consortium led by Amanda Staveley.
And winger Yankuba Minteh – who spent last season on loan at Feyenoord – could leave before the cut-off point for the division’s financial year amid interest from Everton.
Some United fans – who had been looking forward to seeing Minteh play for the club in pre-season following a successful campaign in the Eredivisie – have voiced their frustration at his potential sale given the 19-year-old’s obvious potential.
However, Newcastle’s need to balance the books is a pressing one – and difficult decisions will need to be made by the club’s hierarchy.
‘Awkward’ stance
Dan Ashworth, Newcastle’s sporting director, would ordinarily be involved in those decisions, but the 53-year-old has been on gardening leave since telling the club he wanted to join Manchester United in February.
Newcastle, under the terms of his contract, are entitled to a multi-million pound compensation package.
The Red Devils reportedly offered £2million earlier this year, and, without an agreement, the FA Cup-winning club will have to wait 18 months to appoint Ashworth, who himself only joined Newcastle from Brighton and Hove Albion two years ago following another spell of gardening leave.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who bought a minority stake in Man United last season – has been vocal about the situation.
Ratcliffe told Bloomberg this month: "One of the biggest issues in football, which I have to say I wasn't fully prepared for, was the gardening leave issue, which isn’t something that I bump into in my business world.
“I see absolutely no point in the gardening leave thing that they have in football.
“Newcastle are just being very difficult and very awkward about Dan. Until you get the people in, it's quite difficult to drive the change, and it's just frustrating."
It’s been an uncomfortable few months for Ashworth – whose role was as much about creating player pathways and connecting the club’s various departments as overseeing transfers – given the level of scrutiny over the proposed move.
Newcastle’s own discomfort is understandable given the prospect of losing a key employee to a rival club, but an 18-month wait for his departure won’t suit them – or indeed Ratcliffe.
The Magpies can’t appoint Ashworth’s successor until the situation is resolved, while a compensation payment would also help the bottom line.
It needs to be resolved sooner rather than later, and, for all Ratcliffe’s public frustration, a deal could yet be quietly in private this summer.