Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada engaged in email conversations about moving to Manchester United while they were still employed by other Premier League clubs, it has emerged.

Ashworth was director of football at Newcastle while Berrada had been placed on gardening leave by Manchester City, where he was chief football operations officer, when the two discussed moving to Old Trafford.

It is claimed Ashworth inadvertently sent the correspondence to a Newcastle club email address, leading to the conversations coming to light.

Premier League rules state that clubs and directors should behave towards each other with the “utmost good faith”. It could be a breach if they were to “act dishonestly towards another club or engage in conduct that is intended to circumvent these rules”.

Reportedly, this new information could be crucial to the upcoming arbitration hearing ahead of Ashworth’s proposed move to Old Trafford.

In April, John Murtough stepped down as football director at Man Utd with Ashworth set to assume the role once compensation with Newcastle had been agreed upon or his period of gardening leave ends.

Man City and Newcastle have declined to comment.

Man Utd have been approached for comment by Sky Sports News.

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