If Mike Ashley really cares about the future and progression of Newcastle United, then he should pay MLS star Miguel Almiron the wages he wants.

The Chronicle reports that negotiations between the Paraguay international and Newcastle are in danger of breaking down after Almiron reportedly demanded a deal that would see him earn £100k-a-week at St James's Park.

The Atlanta United player has been on the radar of Newcastle for some time now and has been tipped for a move to the Premier League in January, which would finally see Ashley provide manager Rafa Benitez with proper financial backing.

But the player's demands could see the move stall as he would then become the highest paid player in the club's history by some margin.

The signing of Michael Owen from Real Madrid in 2005 for £16.8m is still the club's highest ever transfer fee and the signing of Almiron could add a lot of pressure and expectation on the whole transfer.

But if Newcastle and Ashley want to make a statement and prove that they are serious about taking the club to a new level, then the time has come to break the bank for certain players.

The time is also right for this huge amount of money to be spent in order to provide Benitez with the best possible chance of really showing what he is capable of as a manager.

Having managed famous teams like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Napoli in the recent past, the challenge of trying to make Newcastle a powerhouse in English football is encouraging, but only if players like Almiron get pinned down on their demands.

And to be honest, Newcastle aren't really in a position where they can back off and say they'll just find someone else or someone better.

The only difference would be for Ashley to finally show his worth as owner and make the big signing of Almiron, which would thrill the club's fans and set the right tone as to what the exciting financial expectations of the future could be.