LONDON • Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is negotiating the £350 million (S$612 million) sale of the Premier League club to Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The news has produced much excitement on Tyneside but, despite reports in the Gulf it is a "done deal", there could still be a considerable distance to be covered.
While Newcastle have privately confirmed talks are continuing, Midhat Kidwai, the managing director of the Bin Zayed Group, which Khaled founded, said on Monday night "terms have been agreed".
He added: "We can confirm that representatives of Sheikh Khaled are in discussions with Mike Ashley and his team about the proposed acquisition of Newcastle.
"We view it as an honour to have the opportunity to build on the strong support, history and tradition of the club.
"We have agreed terms and are working hard to complete the transaction at the earliest opportunity."
A spokesman for the club declined to comment but it appears several hurdles remain and there are also caveats.
Despite living in Dubai, Khaled is a member of Abu Dhabi's royal family, and a cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour.
It had previously been regarded as unlikely that members of the same ruling family would buy rival football clubs.
Mansour's buyout of City was conducted amid the utmost secrecy and, as a rule of thumb, the takeovers that actually happen tend to be conducted in a similarly clandestine manner, so the leaking of details rings alarm bells.
Moreover any new owner would have to pass the league's owners' and directors' test.
Negotiations may or may not have reached that stage, but the league have adopted Newcastle's public "no comment" stance.
The Magpies' possible switch to Middle Eastern control perhaps explains the impasse over Rafael Benitez's contract extension.
His deal runs on June 30, but he has been in negotiations with Ashley over a new agreement and Khaled is thought to be keen to retain the Spanish manager.
Previous takeover bids by British businesswoman Amanda Staveley and former Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon evaporated after entering the due diligence stage.
But regardless of some nagging doubts, Khaled, who is said to have always been a fan of English football and has long harboured ambitions to buy a top-flight club, seems to be being taken much more seriously than most.
THE GUARDIAN
Football: Hegerberg-less Norway canter past Nigeria Ada Hegerberg was not needed as Norway kicked off their women's World Cup Group A campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Nigeria on
Hegerberg-less Norway canter past Nigeria - Football
May 20, 2019 · Celebrations culminated with an emotional speech from outgoing captain Vincent Kompany, who hailed City as 'the best club in the world' before leaving to become player-manager at Belgian team
'I have lived the dream': Kompany's best moments at
Home Contact Us Get Listed Directory About Us Consumer Portal Client Portal the internet pages.co.uk England Scotland Wales Ireland
The Sports News page - Rediff.com
Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari has shrugged off the Ref was right to award Real Madrid Casemiro penalty, says Solari. 14:17 The win against Levante took Real to within nine points of
Solari still committed to LaLiga title race | FOX Sports Asia
Kolasinac delighted by 'big win' but urges focus. By. Andrew Allen - April 12, 2019. 17. We need cool, confident (but not over-confident) heads at the SPS and
Araibi was a vocal critic of AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, a member of Bahrain's ruling family and cousin of the king, when he contested the FIFA presidential election in 2015. The post FIFA says in regular contact with AFC over detained refugee player appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
Tottenham Hotspur keeper Hugo Lloris insists that his side must maintain their focus to secure Champions League football despite their fine recent form. Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris
Hugo Lloris warns Tottenham teammates they have no margin for
Smartphone apps that display your cell signal strength. These apps will display your cell phone signal strength and other details about your connection. These links to third-party software are provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, and such software is to be used at your own risk.
Latest Football Gist Jorginho fires Chelsea as recalled Kepa shines Chelsea were indebted to Kepa for a series of superb saves that preserved their lead after the
Jorginho fires Chelsea as recalled Kepa shines - Afriupdate
Solskjaer set for caretaker role as United eye up Pochettino United hope Solskjær can sway want-away stars to stay The price of shares in Manchester United rose by 5.78 per cent in the
Man United news: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 'faces' the facts after
Klopp hails 'best night' of his life after ending final hex the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid
Football: Klopp hails 'best night' of his life after ending
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen