There is currently a very realistic chance of Newcastle being taken over, with The Athletic’s Chris Waugh suggesting a takeover has never been closer.
Mike Ashley has listed the club for sale on multiple occasions in the past with a number of different suitors being lined up too, such as Peter Kenyon and Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan.
However, the interest from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) looks a lot more concrete, particularly as they are being backed up by Amanda Stavely and the Reuben Brothers.
Will Mike Ashley sell?
Yes
No
A bid of £340m being submitted to the Premier League also suggests that talks have progressed past the preliminary stages, and that means it may just be down to Mike Ashley’s final decision.
That is what unsettles Wagh, who hosted a Q&A on The Athletic to answer Newcastle fans’ questions, telling one supporter:
“It’s the closest it’s ever been but whether that means Ashley finally agrees to it is impossible to predict. Who knows what his next move will be.
“I certainly think Ashley is taking an approach which encompasses all of his businesses. He isn’t treating Newcastle any differently to any of the others, certainly.”
The Newcastle owner has always been difficult to predict, as the journalist suggests, particularly in the current climate where he may want to hold onto his biggest assets.
On the other hand, he is currently missing out advertising for Sports Direct due to the lack of football at St. James’ Park, and given the uncertainty that surrounds his business currently he may want to receive a healthy windfall via a possible sale.
The positive is that PIF’s interest has continued to persist over quite a lengthy period of time, dating back to January, which indicates that it is a deal they are eager to get across the line, whatever the hurdles may be.