BENITEZ BONANZA
Rafa ready for a spree as takeover draws near
RAFA BENITEZ will be given the green light for a January spree in the next 48 hours with a Newcastle takeover moving significantly closer.
The Toon chief wants to bring in Liverpool striker Danny Ings and Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw as he bids to avoid the drop. A lack of progress with Amanda Staveley’s takeover had threatened to derail his plans in next month’s transfer market.
But Mike Ashley is now poised to accept an improved £300million bid from Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners following face-to-face talks last week.
Any new regime will not be in charge by the time the transfer window closes
because the deal still has to be formally agreed and signed off by the Premier League.
But the breakthrough in talks will have positive benefits for Benitez almost immediately.
An agreement is being drawn up whereby Ashley will fund his manager’s spending plans on condition of reimbursement once the deal is signed. It means that Benitez will have a hefty amount available to bolster a squad he believes requires several reinforcements to secure top-flight survival.
Newcastle went into the Everton game with the worst form of any Premier League side in the past two months and the Spaniard was becoming increasingly concerned at the lack of information from the boardroom regarding funding.
Now he can plan ahead in the knowledge that he will not have to shop in the bargain basement, which he was forced to do in the summer. He wants to take Ings on loan and will also try to persuade United to let Shaw leave on a similar arrangement.
Benitez, who also wants to sign a keeper and a No10, said on Tuesday he has drawn up a list of potential targets from across the world but feared he could miss out on all of them.
That is no longer the case with Ashley and Staveley closer than ever to shaking hands on a deal after two months of talks.
Documents have yet to be lodged with the Premier League and Staveley and her PCP Group must provide proof of funding before they can be given the go-ahead.
Ashley’s imminent exit has been widely celebrated on Tyneside after more than a decade as owner – a period which has seen Newcastle relegated twice.