Sir Jim Ratcliffe thinks Newcastle's compensation ask is "absurd"

New Manchester United minority shareholder and CEO of INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, claimed in his introductory press conference after acquiring a chunk of the club that Newcastle United’s strategy to retain sporting director Dan Ashworth for as long as possible is “absurd.”

Ratcliffe was referring to the decision made by the Magpies organization earlier this week to put Ashworth on gardening leave until January 2026 unless Man Utd pony up €20 million in compensation to get him out of Newcastle now.

The INEOS-backed club from Manchester have made a formal approach to Newcastle for Ashworth but NUFC came back to the Red Devils with a demand believed to be in excess of that figure in order for the Magpies to release Ashworth ahead of the date stipulated in his contract with Newcastle.

“I think it’s a bit silly, personally,” Ratcliffe said on Wednesday. “I won’t get dragged into [paying such a hefty compensation]. What I do think is completely absurd is suggesting a man who is really good at his job sits in his garden for one and a half years.”

Ratcliffe tried to reinforce his comments about the “silly” behavior of Newcastle by mentioning the business the Red Devils have made of late with cross-town rivals Manchester City, from whom they poached chief executive Omar Berrada to join them at Old Trafford earlier this month.

“When things got done we sorted it out very amicably. [Man City] could see why [Berrada] wanted to take that challenge,” Ratcliffe said. “You look at Pep (Guardiola), what he’s done with one of his footballers—he doesn’t want them to sit in the garden for one and a half years. He doesn’t do that. That’s not the way the UK works or the law works.”

According to Ratcliffe, Ashworth has made clear he wants to join Man Utd because “it’s probably the biggest sporting director job in the world just now, with the biggest challenge.”

Newcastle haven’t moved from their position and the club is expected to stay strong and keep up their demand of €20 million in compensation. Manchester United, on the other hand, doesn’t seem willing to pay that fee and is reportedly willing to wait the whole gardening leave period through January 2026 before landing Ashworth.

With none of the parties benefiting from the situation, however, an agreement is expected to be reached by both clubs in due time, most probably during the next few days or weeks and definitely before the summer transfer window opens mid-June so Man Utd can already use Ashworth’s prowess while the Magpies can fully move on from him and revamp their own structure.