Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The FA are battling to hold onto technical director Dan Ashworth, who is interested in a similar role at Brighton.

Ashworth is understood to be in line for a new deal after England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in Russia this summer and the recent success of the country’s junior teams.

Formerly director of football at West Brom, Ashworth is credited with overseeing the Three Lions' resurgence in all age-groups and the FA want him to snub a return to club football in order to continue his work at international level.

(Image: Getty)

Ashworth joined the FA as director of elite development in 2012 before being promoted to technical director three years later.

Under his watch in the last year, England’s Under-17s and Under-20s won their respective World Cups. The Under-19s became European champions, the Under-18s triumphed in the Toulon Tournament and the Under-21s reached the semi-finals of their Euros.

The England women’s senior team also reached the last four of the European Championship.

Ashworth rode out calls to stand down after the three inquiries that were needed to establish that former England women’s manager Mark Sampson was guilty of discriminatory comments towards Eni Aluko and Drew Spense.

The 47-year-old, who had appointed Sampson, he went on to recruit former Manchester United defender Phil Neville as his successor.