Liverpool target open to Man United sporting director role

Liverpool could see one of their top targets for a new sporting director join Manchester United instead. The Reds need someone soon.

The Athletic reports that Newcastle United's sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is open to joining Manchester United. The Red Devils have made Ashworth their top target for the role.

United are looking to overhaul their recruitment and view Ashworth as ideal to head that up. While there hasn't been a formal approach to Newcastle, the suggestion here is that things could now move rapidly.

Ashworth may make the jump before long, then.

And that's something that could impact Liverpool. The Reds are also in the hunt for a sporting director, with Jorg Schmadtke stepping down this summer with the end of his one-year contract.

A few outlets, such as 90min, have claimed that Ashworth is also high on Liverpool's list of targets for the role. But with the Reds' hunt starting quite some time after United's, they may have run out of time on the Newcastle man.

Liverpool also have the added complication of searching for a new manager at the same time. They reportedly won't hire that new manager before finding their sporting director - and that makes the latter search pressing.

But that search becomes a lot more difficult is one of their primary targets is off the table. Perhaps it speeds things up, but it won't necessarily leave them with the man they want - if that's Ashworth.

If the Newcastle director does top their list, they better move fast. It could be too late as it is, however.

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One man who may be preferred to Ashworth at Liverpool as a sporting director is Tim Steidten. He's currently at West Ham United, having moved there from Bayer Leverkusen last year.

That's particularly notable as the Reds are strongly linked with Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso as their new manager. Steidten was 'influential' in Alonso's appointment in Germany, says the Daily Mail.

If reuniting that combo is the ultimate plan, Asworth to United shouldn't be the stumbling block it could have been.