Manchester United's sporting director-in-waiting Dan Ashworth has already identified his first signing - and Chelsea will not like it.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has identified Ashworth as the man to revolutionise United and is looking to thrash out a deal with Newcastle to prise him away from St. James' Park.
3
And the sporting director already knows who he will try to snap up if he moves to Old Trafford.
According to The Sun, Chelsea analyst Kyle Macaulay could join up with Ashworth at United soon.
Macaulay signed for the Blues in 2022 as part of a six-man team that joined from Brighton, including manager Graham Potter, first-team coaches Billy Reid, Bjorn Hamberg and Bruno Saltor, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and director of global talent and transfers Paul Winstanley.
While Potter was sacked last year before finishing even one season, Macauley has remained and is well thought of at Stamford Bridge.
read more on ashworth
The 37-year-old's playing career was confined to the lower echelons of Scottish football before first working with Potter at Ostersunds in Sweden.
They continued working together at Swansea and Brighton before their Chelsea move, though Potter is now unemployed.
Ashworth is keen to bring in a new team with vast experience to aid his work at United.
Ipswich technical director Sam Williams is also being lined up for a role at Old Trafford.
Most read in Football
Gabby Agbonlahor sends fiery response to Gary Neville and The Overlap after doubling down on his Nemanja Vidić hot take
3
3
However, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is not happy about the potential impending departure of Ashworth, who only joined the Magpies in 2022.
“Yeah, it's quite an unusual situation,” Howe told his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of Newcastle's clash with Bournemouth.
“Usually there’s transfer speculation on players, this is very different. Whatever happens, we want a quick resolution.
“It’s a difficult one because when you’re in that role you need longevity to actually see the fruits of your labour, it’s sort of a long-term position.
“I think the people that have done it best in the Premier League throughout time have always had a period of stability.
“Change takes a long time in any football club to get those processes exactly how you want them to be.
“Dan’s had a relatively short time here but let’s see what happens. As I sit here nothing’s happened.”