TOON TURMOIL
Saudi owners’ Newcastle transformation would have started with £50m bid for Cherries star... they had already reached out to charity foundation and also wanted to pump money into local clubs
CALLUM WILSON headed a list of recruits that Newcastle United had lined up before the plug was pulled on their takeover.
The England striker was the man wanted to spearhead the Magpies’ attack – ushering in a bright new era, following the club’s change of ownership.
The Bournemouth forward would have been available at around £50million.
And he was the first building block that would have been put in place by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund had the Premier League given the go-ahead to the buy-out of Mike Ashley.
The PIF withdrew their offer this week – sacrificing £17m in a non-returnable deposit and associated fees – and distanced themselves from the £300m deal after the top-flight body failed to reach a decision over whether the purchase could receive the green light.
And it is understood that Wilson headed a long list of players who had been earmarked as being in the first phase of the rebuilding project on
Tyneside.
The work conducted by financier Amanda
Staveley and her team stretched back twoand-a-half years and, had the sale process been formalised 12 months ago, the club had lined up a loan deal for Mauro Icardi, who eventually joined Paris Saint-Germain after falling out with Inter Milan.
And, having been given an exclusive insight into the list, the other players on Newcastle’s radar can be revealed, had the Saudi Arabian-backed consortium succeeded.
Leicester duo Hamza Choudhury and Demarai Gray
– both on the fringes of the
Foxes – would have been given
St James’ Park as the next stage upon which to showcase their talents.
And, after raiding the Vitality Stadium for No.1 target Wilson, Newcastle would also have tried to set up moves for Nathan Ake, who is now on his way to Manchester City in a £41m deal, and also Wales midfielder David Brooks.
The Tyneside club would also have rivalled Brighton for the signature of Liverpool’s Adam Lallana, had the nod been given at any stage during the four months in which the Premier League had to sanction the transaction. While the position of boss Steve Bruce (above) was not under immediate threat, there would have been changes to backroom staff.
Had Staveley succeeded 12 months ago, Steve Cooper – who has gone on to enjoy a promising first season in charge at Swansea City – would have been offered a role with the Newcastle Under-23s.
Plenty of work had been undertaken behind the scenes, with the Middle East consortium having already reached out to the club’s foundation.
The new owners wanted to make sizeable donations to the charity, which would have had a huge impact on the day-to-day lives of those in the North-East city, with cash being spent improving the social infrastructure.
The consortium also wanted to breathe fresh life into an area that has produced players such as Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne and Chris Waddle.
They were keen to inject money into the boys’ clubs which had helped to produce such talent and also had big plans to support the Great North Run – an event they felt had the potential to be expanded throughout the north.
But all that planning has had to be binned, following the decision to withdraw the Saudi Arabian offer.
It has left many Newcastle United fans angry at the failure of the Premier League to give the potential, wealthy consortium the green light to take over.