It may be no coincidence that these links emerged around the same time as Dan Ashworth was finally confirmed as Manchester United’s sporting director. After months of drawn-out negotiations, Sir Jim Ratcliffe finally got his way this week. The Failsworth-born billionaire is not one of the planet’s most successful businessmen by accident. And the manner in which he refused to bow down to Newcastle’s demands before landing Ashworth for ‘significantly’ less than half of The Magpies’ £20 million asking price felt like a big win for a club looking to end an era of overpaying, per The Sun. Are the d…