It’s been about six months since the last news broke about a consortium trying to buy Newcastle.
So we suppose we shouldn’t have been surprised when the Wall Street Journal broke the news yesterday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia is working with financier Amanda Staveley to try to acquire Newcastle United in a £340m deal.
But we were.
And yes, Amanda is back and trying to broker the deal and make lots of money.
Public Investment Fund is the name of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund that is the entity trying to buy the club, and there are others said to be involved in the deal.
The WSJ, in their report, said they believe the Reuben Brothers are also involved in the deal.
Companies have been formed to buy the club – Cantervale Holdings Limited, and PZ Newco Limited.
The project is called Project Zebra – hence the “PZ.”
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia – would become Newcastle owner
The Crown Prince has been accused of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and more recently the hacking of Jeff Bezos’ phone – he’s the Amazon owner.
But we’ve seen this all before with, Amanda Staveley, Peter Kenyon, The Bin Zayed Group, who registered Monochrome Acquisition Ltd and, more recently with Joseph DaGrosa.
If the newly leaked takeover attempt was almost done, we would believe it would go through.
But there have been four months of negotiations, and there hasn’t even been a bid put in yet.
The group are said to have £200M to invest in the club, and the WSJ says it would be like the acquisition of Manchester City by Sheikh Mansour back in August 2008.
Certainly, if the deal does go through and Newcastle do as well as Man City, it will be an excellent investment with Man City valued at around £3B at the moment.
But the deal has been leaked, and there hasn’t even been an offer made.
That makes us think there is already a problem with the deal.
Mike Ashley will want advertising to remain at St. James’ Park for as long as he can get it, and who knows what other things he wants to finally sell Newcastle and put the fans out of our misery?
And we still don’t think he really wants to sell the cub – whatever he says.
So we are very skeptical that even this deal will go through where money will not be the problem.
The deal has been leaked – albeit to a reputable financial newspaper here in the US,
As we said, if the deal was days or a couple of weeks from completing, we’d believe it – but if it’s not, we could be on another merry-go-round that leads nowhere.
And that can only serve to destabilize the club – again.
That’s not good when we are looking to have a good season and a good run in the FA Cup under new manager Steve Bruce.
That’s in spite of the miserable performance yesterday in the 0-0 draw again League One club Oxford United at home.
Who Was Newcastle's Best Player Against Oxford?
- Karl Darlow (24%, 728 )
- Miguel Almiron (22%, 685 )
- Nabil Bentaleb (12%, 377 )
- Joelinton (11%, 337 )
- A. Saint-Maximin (9%, 283 )
- Matt Ritchie (8%, 255 )
- Jamaal Lascelles (4%, 109 )
- Fabian Schar (3%, 90 )
- Matty Longstaff (2%, 77 )
- Sean Longstaff (1%, 36 )
- DeAndre Yedlin (1%, 35 )
- Federico Ferndandez (1%, 32 )
- Isaac Hayden (1%, 31 )
- Christian Atsu (0%, 13 )
Total Voters: 3,088
Comments welcome.
66 comments so far
jazzyp
Jan 26, 2020 at 10:50 AM
Comment #1There are problems..Really Edd.You mean the Fakeover may fall through.Wow and I thought we were on to a winner
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 10:52 AM
Comment #2I’ve no doubt there’s plenty of interest in buying the club
I’ve also no doubt there’s never been a seller
He thinks putting a sale sign in the window will fix everything, just like one of his tat shops
24/7/365 sale on at the too everything must go, ends soon
Bla bla bla
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 10:53 AM
Comment #3Is this the 9th or the 10th time hes sold us ?
I’ve lost count
toon kk
Jan 26, 2020 at 10:55 AM
Comment #4Why sell a gold mine? hello Gullible fans still unsure whether to renew season tickets another potential sale will do the trick.
Even the press fall for it.
Utter bollox!
stan anderson
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Comment #5That performance against Oxford brings to light how poor a team we are.
The injury time goals in the last 2 matches got us 4 points but we were utter garbage 99.9% of both games.
Good fortune and lack of goals by the opposition aided us big time.
Has the Bruce bubble burst ?
Fans need to realise despite looking relatively secure in the P/League it only takes a couple of results going against us and we will be back in the clarts.
Bruce is not gonna carry his luck forever.
Worrying times ahead.
hibbit
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:04 AM
Comment #6Asheleys playing with fire if he thinks you can rub Prince Mohammed bin Salman up the wrong way and just brush him off as a tyre kicker 😉
Grumpy
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:06 AM
Comment #7Stan, I feel your pain
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:08 AM
Comment #8Jabba has never once tried to sell the club
Not once
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:21 AM
Comment #9If it’s been leaked it’s not going through that’s the rule of thumb.
Sheikh Unknown
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:22 AM
Comment #10Last time the Reuben brothers were associated with a buyout they released a statement pretty quickly to deny any involvement so hopefully we won’t have to wait long to discover if there’s any truth regarding their involvement.
You would also expect to hear from MBS representatives quickly too as he’s a million miles away from being the complete unknown as was the Bin Zayed Group.
Sunday is also a work day in the Middle East.
wartongeordie
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:22 AM
Comment #11We need goal scorers, we dont have a team of world class players but we do have some above average Premier league players, we keep buying midfielders and to be fair we create enough chances if only there was a top class striker or 2 to convert.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:24 AM
Comment #12Stan
On the topic of our last two (league) games yes I’d agree that 4 pts gained in injury time is insanely lucky – but it’s luck we need to stay in this division.
We all know we’re not a good team and have a paper thin squad and none of that will change until we’re rid of Mike Ashley. Bruce is doing the best he can with the shite he’s got. He’s not even close to Rafa in terms of ability and long-term vision but then again, none of us expected him to be.
Munster Mag
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:39 AM
Comment #13We all know SB is no great shakes. But hanging Longstaffs rubbish performances on the coach is a bit steep. There again it was from Jail so….
one fine day
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:40 AM
Comment #14Only problem I see is that he dosent want to sell .
Season ticket renewal time ? Get me Keith on line one ..
Munster Mag
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:43 AM
Comment #15I’m choosing to believe the takeover, but presumably any delay is partly due to bloody Ashley’s advertising requirements.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:44 AM
Comment #16Posada
Before I asked if you are a Narcassist you’d called me obnoxious poison 4 times.
I result to name calling, give over.
No wonder you couldn’t see the empty seats.
Bill’s.
If you’re denying you said you come on here to annoy posters you dont like, I’m calling you a liar, get on to the solicitor you were so ready to pass to Posada. LIAR.
The pair of you are poison on the blog.
investinyouthtoon
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:49 AM
Comment #17one fine day, it would appear that either his unwillingness to sell or his greed with scupper any sale of the club. MBS and his sovereign fund group is not short of the required funds to take the club forwards.
I’d be ecstatic if this sale comes to fruition, however we gave been here before many times and the main obstacle is MA. If only he would heed his own advice and have nothing to do with owning us whatsoever
The day he sells us is a day for people to rediscover hope in this once proud football club
Lovem or Hatem
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:50 AM
Comment #18I am optimist, so therefore I think that there is some truth to this latest takeover rumor. Hopefully, there will be a quick resolution to this, with a journalist or involved parties, either saying this is false or a takeover completed.
Where is Mike Ashley at the moment? I know people have said he is out of the country but could he be meeting people involved in the takeover, so there could be a quick answer to this bid for NUFC?
geordietom
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:51 AM
Comment #19https://youtu.be/IhF_jlSxIoA
Paco Alcacer’s goals
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:51 AM
Comment #20Munster
Funny how a pro Jabba poster thinks this fakeover actually going to happen
How many times has he sold us now ?
LOL
Ron Knee
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:54 AM
Comment #21Harry Savill@HAJSavill
The lifecycle of success under Ashley has always been short-lived, and any faint hope of revisiting the halcyon days of the 90s (Pardew’s season in Europe, period of calm under Benitez) has ultimately always found its way back to the root, unbending problem: Ashley.
Unused Substitute
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:54 AM
Comment #22While I’d believe WSJ, a deal could be scuttled right at the beginning if Ashley asks for a substantial deposit before talking.
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:56 AM
Comment #23Have you also noticed how the anual sale lie usually occurs just before season ticket renewal time
Every year
Odd that people suddenly want to buy us about the same time every year isnt it
Its insulting that they actually think we might believe it again, i had thought they would be too embarrassed to have yet another fakeover
Jib
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:58 AM
Comment #24Bearing in mind that Fulham are just 3 points from automatic promotion
I wonder how Scotty Parker will set up vs Man City at the Etihad in an hour
BBC 1
investinyouthtoon
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:58 AM
Comment #25Lovem or Hatem, we can all hope for that speedy sale. It would result in a geordie public holiday for a few days drinking and partying around SJP.
Unused Substitute
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:59 AM
Comment #26toon22: WSJ wouldn’t usually lie.
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 11:59 AM
Comment #27JIB
How many of your alts think he will sell us this time ?
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:01 PM
Comment #28Unused Substitute
Im sure theres plenty of people who would be happy to buy the club
Problem is we dont have a seller, hes no intention of ever selling us
He uses the lie to sting the fans along for another year
Unused Substitute
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:02 PM
Comment #29Only 4 lucky points? I’d say at least 13 lucky points so far.
Unused Substitute
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:06 PM
Comment #30Ruddy @12: only 4 lucky points, you say? The #’s more like 13 so far, I’d say.
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:07 PM
Comment #31Its obvious they are caking it this year though, after giving away all of those ticket hes made them worthless
Next week they are expecting people to pay just shy of 1k for them
Why pay when they will be free soon enough ?
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:07 PM
Comment #32Toon22
I believe we’ve had/have potential buyers.
Why the club hasn’t sold could be any amount of reasons. I’d expect theres been atleast one reasonable offer, maybe not.
I’m unsure if he really wants to sell also, doesn’t look a willing seller.
If I was selling something and wanted top dollar I’d try to get it look to as good as possible, more appealing to buyers.
one fine day
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:07 PM
Comment #33Invest in youth,
Public holiday it would be
However allowed myself to believe the BNZ was happening …never again
Find it hard to understand Amanda stavely getting involved again after Ashley publicly rubbished and discredited her even when caulkin was saying her bids were real
posada
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:07 PM
Comment #34Aye, I call you Obnoxious Poison.
You’re weel kenned as that let me tell you.
Insults and claims you never back up.
Still waiting.
Copy what I said.
Put up or shut up.
You give match goers grief then look forward to the game. It makes no sense man.
When did I say there were no empty seats.
Was I not allowed at a Public Meeting ?
I’m a member of the public.
SwissSte
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:08 PM
Comment #35Even if this latest fakeover has any legs whatsoever, I’m all against the use of our club to sportswash that government’s appalling human rights record, treatment of women, LGBTQ+, genocide in Yemen, killing of dissenters, I don’t want our club associated with that. No to Saudi sportswashing.
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:08 PM
Comment #36Its just as well the footballs excellent at the moment
😉
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:09 PM
Comment #37Posada
Hiya JIB
Why bother with the alts ?
Unused Substitute
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:10 PM
Comment #38Munster @13: even you could do a better job than Bruce, I’d say, if you had a licence.
toon22
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:13 PM
Comment #39OP
What bits do you think he wants to pretend to sell this time ?
Im guessing he must include the actual players
He would also have to at least loan the buyer the stadium for a while, but he really wouldnt want to shift the training ground build houses on it or something
As for everything else im fairly confident he would want to keep forever, just look at Rangers
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Jan 26, 2020 at 12:13 PM
Comment #40Posada
Love you xxx