Report: Dan Ashworth is now trying to force through his move to Manchester United by taking club to arbitration

Newcastle United and Manchester United are locked in a stalemate over the compensation for sporting director Dan Ashworth.

The Magpies want £20million from Sir Jim Ratcliffe before they will release him from the remainder of his contract but the new Red Devils' chief is refusing to pay up.

Negotiations have been ongoing for weeks now with Dan Ashworth on gardening leave, essentially stuck in limbo between the two clubs.

Ashworth approached the Newcastle board in February to say he wanted to leave and go to Manchester United in a move that had been brewing for a while. The club immediately placed him on gardening leave where he has remained ever since.

You can almost taste the Mancunian tears

Despite Jim Ratcliffe crying about it on national television after the London Marathon, Newcastle aren't backing down from their demands, nor should they.

But now, The Athletic are reporting that Dan Ashworth is looking to take Newcastle to arbitration to have a third party break the deadlock and force through his move.

The case is expected to start next month and last a number of weeks, but should be resolved in time to see Ashworth installed at Manchester United before the summer.

Newcastle's pettiness is greatly appreciated at nufc.news

Obviously, there are many ways this could go, but Newcastle can be confident that they aren't doing anything untoward, and as the owners of Ashworth's current contract, are well within their rights to do what they are doing.

The case will likely end up being a mediation between the two clubs to thrash out the compensation package rather than anything else.

It just keeps getting funnier from a Newcastle point of view, just how much we are holding up Man United's progress. It's petty and we love it.