Getting on with the day job
Takeover? What takeover?
NEWCASTLE United are yet to receive any type of official approach for either a share of the club or a potential takeover.
It is now a week since news of Mike Ashley’s willingness to sell the club made it into the public domain.
However, despite the Toon tycoon still being “open to offers” from far and wide, sources at St James’ Park are indicating it remains very much business as usual for the Magpies.
Newcastle chiefs spoke to interested parties during their trip to the Far East but there has been no fresh contact directly to the club board since from anybody else.
Takeover talk aside, the football business is still operating in exactly the same as it usually does at this time of year.
Rafa Benitez is in constant dialogue with managing-director Lee Charnley and while a couple of Chief Sports Writer transfers were expected to be completed by this stage, there is no panic just yet in the eyes of the club’s management.
Newcastle are believed to be edging closer to announcing their first summer arrival and a number of deals are on the table.
It is not unusual for a Premier League club not to have made a signing at this stage of the summer.
Don’t forget, Newcastle have actually already signed Christian Atsu from Chelsea and five other Premier League clubs are yet to get off the mark in terms of signings - and most clubs have only signed one or two players so far. Brighton have been one of the busiest clubs, with three additions so far, but things will hot up towards the end of this month and July is likely to be hectic. Newcastle should be in the thick of it, according to sources at St James’ Park.
Despite talk of a takeover and bringing in other investors, it will not change anything in terms of transfers. Those deals on the table are still in place while Newcastle are waiting to hear back from a number of players currently on holiday. Those close to Benitez indicate no manager in United’s recent history hasworked harder than he is to make things happen, with a long list of targets rolled out. Ashley knows only too well football business continues to flow during any uncertain situations involving takeovers. He had to honour deals for the
Takeover talk aside, the football business is still operating in the same way it usually does at this time of year
likes of Alan Smith and Habib Beye back in 2007 as Freddy Shepherd left his position as chairman.
Behind the scenes, Newcastle’s administration staff have been told to get on with their work.
The club have yet to add to the “no comment” response to initial reports of Ashley being interested in discussions about a potential bid.
It could stay like that for some time yet with no press conferences or club interviews set to take place until at least July 3 when the players and coaching staff head back for pre-season training.
The next few days will see the chase for another transfer breakthrough continue, while the club hope they are in a position to confirm the remainder of the pre-season fixture list with fans keen to make travel plans to cheer the team on again in the next few weeks.
Charnley held meetings with agents last week and, while the senior squad is very much the priority, work has also been going on to finalise a clutch of deals handed out to some of the under-23 squad.
June is notorious for being a tough month in terms of developments but that is about to change as Benitez, who has been on Tyneside frequently since the season ended, gets ready to present fans with the squad which will do battle in the Premier League next season.