Are United up for sale or not?
NEWCASTLE United found themselves back in the headlines yesterday after claims Mike Ashley has taken the club off the market. Ashley has been waiting for an acceptable offer for 17 months, but is believed to have grown frustrated by the situation after talks with consortia led by Peter Kenyon and Garry Cook broke down. However, this could still be a story that continues to run and run with Ashley not set to close the door completely on potential new owners. Here we examine the key questons.
Is United still for sale?
The fact is it will always be for sale while Mike Ashley is in charge – providing the club find a suitable buyer.
After weekend reports the club has been taken off the market, it is believed the message now to potential new owners is they must stump up the full asking price and prove they can take the club forward – or they will be deemed as timewasters.
Both Kenyon and Cook would love a crack at being United’s supremo, but the groups they are representing have not been able to find the funds and after spending legal fees during the process, Ashley appears to have had enough.
What is being said behind the scenes?
Newcastle have so far remained tight-lipped on suggestions they are no longer for sale, but as we reported last month, Ashley is set to get his message out somehow after no public comment since last year.
If Ashley is staying, surely that leaves no excuses for failing to spend in the summer as well as handing Rafa Benitez the contract he wants?
Newcastle officials will point to the Miguel Almiron deal as proof they are committed.
But planning for the summer window – usually a better period to buy players in – has started with Benitez getting some names pushed his way.
Ashley has also signed off the club’s summer trip to China as the Premier League Trophy competition is something that can help grow the brand in the Far East.
United officials have travelled to Shanghai to check the facilities in recent weeks.
However, with TV money building up in the bank, Newcastle will have to add to Almiron to prove to fans they mean business.
Haven’t we been here before?
Many times.
Ashley took the ‘For Sale’ signs down in 2010 and again in 2015 after declaring he was committed to taking the club forward.
In 2015, he said: “It’s a horse-and-cart scenario... we might have the cart financially but need to bolt the horse and we are going to.
“We are now definitely going to win something, and by the way, I shall not be selling until we do. “I won’t sell (Newcastle United). “Not at any price.” But things never really materialised and United were relegated in 2016.
The Toon owner had the perfect chance to build after promotion in 2017, but ended up getting in a cash
Ashley took the For Sale signs down in 2010 and again in 2015 after declaring he was committed to taking the club forward
row with Benitez on signings. Ashley said late in the window in August 2017: “I am nowhere near wealthy enough in football now to compete with the likes of Man City etc – not just Man City – where basically it is a wealthy individual taking on what is the equivalent of countries. I cannot and I will not.”
Benitez doubts that this will ever change and has asked for written assurances in his contract.
What happened to selling the club earlier this year?
It’s a question only Ashley can answer. After all, it was his interview with Sky News that raised hopes of fans.
Here’s a reminder of what he said: “I am hopeful for the Newcastle fans, for the club, for everybody, that I will be able to step aside and we will be able to get an owner in that will please everybody. I’d like it to be before the January transfer window.”
If ever Ashley needed to come out and clear up his plans, it’s now.