Gary Neville tells Man Utd how to handle Dan Ashworth chase as Newcastle United demand 'huge fee'

Gary Neville has sent a clear message to Manchester United over their pursuit of Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth. United have been tipped to hire Ashworth over recent weeks, with Jim Ratcliffe keen to install a far more successful recruitment policy at Old Trafford.

Ashworth is said to be viewed as the key, having done impressive work at both current club Newcastle and former club Brighton over recent years. But according to The Times, Newcastle are 'furious' with the fact the Red Devils have approached Ashworth, and they have placed the sporting director on an extended gardening leave, blocking him from the club's internal systems.

The report also claims Newcastle will demand a huge fee of between £10million and £15million to allow Ashworth to leave for Old Trafford, an un precedented compensation price for a sporting director. But United legend Neville believes his old club should pay it to end their recruitment misery.

"If that’s the sporting director that they want and they want him to start straight away," he said on Sky Sports. "He will have restrictions to not be able to work at another club in the same space for 12 months, I’m sure of that.

"Man Utd might say we can’t wait that long so we will pay for it. It is imperative that Man Utd get someone in place before the next transfer window. If you don’t pay £10m to get Ashworth out, and you get another window wrong, you could blow another £100m. So it’s important they get the right people in.

"What Man Utd need to do is stop the rot. When Man Utd phoned any club in Europe they were going 'here we go its bingo time we are about to get paid a load of money'. Ashworth won’t allow that to happen – he’s quite resilient and measured around those situations."