Fabrizio Romano claims the Briton will sign a four-year contract to join Newcastle United

Newcastle United are finally ready to secure Brighton and Hove Albion technical director Dan Ashworth on a deal through 2026.

That’s according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, who claims the deal is now on track to close.

Newcastle have requested permission to speak to Ashworth in December, targeting him as their top choice to become their director of football.

Sure, other contenders like Michael Emenalo and Ramon Planes have been linked, but Ashworth has been the top pick for several months now.

Ashworth subsequently submitted his resignation from Brighton earlier this month, with BBC Sport indicates that a move to Newcastle is imminent.

Worrying, Athletic then announced that Newcastle and Brighton are far apart in their valuation of Ashworth, meaning he may have been forced to consider the timing of his foreclosure.

However, Romano now claims that Ashworth is tied to Newcastle and will sign a four-year deal to take the helm at St James’ Park.

Romano has even claimed that Ashworth has been focused on a summer signing for Newcastle, a major sign that his transfer is close.

Newcastle signed a Brighton player in January, but it is understood Ashworth is not involved in Dan Burn’s transfer negotiations.

It is very interesting that Ashworth may have thought of moving to Newcastle first.

Daily Mail’s request that Newcastle are looking to attack Brighton to find their academy coach John Morling.

Ashworth has worked closely with Morling for a number of years and a reunion at Newcastle certainly makes sense.

The focus will of course be on transfers and what players Ashworth can bring to Brighton, but the former FA chief will look to overhaul Newcastle and move them forward – just as he did with the Seagulls.

In other news, BBC pundit shares what Dan James told him about Leeds after Man United ‘disappointed’