Simon Jordan sends 'rinse' message to Newcastle United over Dan Ashworth to Man Utd situation

Former Premier League club chief Simon Jordan has backed Newcastle United over their £20million asking price for sporting director Dan Ashworth. Newcastle have placed Ashworth on gardening leave, hoping to prevent any inside knowlegde of planned transfers being taken to Old Trafford in the event he does leave.

But having paid a significant chunk to get Ashworth from Brighton, the Magpies are not going to stand aside and watch their sporting chief waltz to a Premier League rival. Newcastle are said to have demanded as much as £20million to allow the move to take place, and reports claim Man Utd have 'baulked' at the fee, unwilling to pay so much for a sporting director.

But former Crystal Palace chief Jordan has backed Newcastle over their demand, saying on TalkSPORT: "He’s been there for 20 months and been responsible for two or three hundred million on transfers. Most of them have worked out well and now he’s gone to Man United. Fair play to Newcastle. If Newcastle can go to Man United ‘you want him? You’ve got to pay for it’. “Would I hold out for my £20million? Damn right I would. Damn straight I would. I’d make them pay every single last cent that I could possibly rinse out of them because they don’t get to take my vision in the same way Newcastle had to pay compensation to Brighton. “Man United have brought in £1.6billion worth of players over the last 10 years. Their recruitment policy has gone to the dogs, their development of young players has gone to the dogs – they’re not a great football club at doing things on the pitch."