Manchester United are wrecking Newcastle’s transfer business by swooping for sporting director Dan Ashworth, Mail Sport‘s Dom King believes.

United want Ashworth to head up their recruitment under the part-ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS and he has now been placed on gardening leave.

As exclusively reported by Mail Sport, Ashworth may be forced to wait close to two years before moving to Old Trafford if United do not pay significant compensation.

A figure of around £20million has since been touted – though United figures are believed to have baulked at this – to allow Ashworth to take up his next post.

Manchester United may have to stump up around £20m to prise Dan Ashworth from Newcastle

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have identified Ashworth to lead United’s recruitment operation

But King has suggested Newcastle would be well within their rights to demand more.

Speaking on the latest edition of the It’s All Kicking Off podcast, King said: ‘I’d be very upset as a Newcastle fan, because there’s a couple of things here.

‘They’re obviously having issues with profit and sustainability and financial play and not being able to spend the money that they want to.

‘But now for a man who’s been instrumental in getting a significant number of good players in and helping develop the club, they’ve still got grand plans.

‘This would have been a grand plan to be Champions League regulars and pushing for trophies. It’s like a Jenga puzzle, isn’t it? They’re trying to take one of the key blocks away so Newcastle’s tower falls down and they can build their own.

Dom King, speaking on It’s All Kicking Off, believes United are wrecking Newcastle’s business

United must pay hefty compensation in order to allow Ashworth to begin his new role early

A statement from Newcastle confirmed the decision to put Ashworth on gardening leave

‘I would feel very, very upset as a Newcastle fan looking at this. There was a really interesting column from Martin Samuel in the Sunday Times. He was talking about whether Newcastle should demand £60m for Dan Ashworth.

‘When you think about it, some of the money that’s spent on dross players, for the people who have got the contacts to the agents, to the data all over the network of scouts in South America, in Europe…

‘And the ability to unearth great players, or players with potential who could become great. You’re wrecking someone’s business by taking the chief executive away.’

Chris Sutton has also pondered over whether Ashworth is worth over £20m.

‘So is he worth more than £60m, then?’ he said. ‘That’s really interesting, though, what you’re saying about the game is changing and because he can be so valuable to Manchester United ‘s business, if it ever happens. 

‘But how much can he make that club?’