Journalist Reveals How Mike Ashley's Associates Sought Buyers for Newcastle This Summer
The Chronicle's Chris Waugh has revealed that people close to Newcastle owner Mike Ashley attempted to attract interest in the club from places such as the United States and East Asia over the summer.
Interestingly, this news suggests that the club is still very much up for sale, despite Ashley recently rejecting Amanda Staveley's offers to buy his stake in the Magpies.
It is believed that Ashley's attempts to drum up interest in the club from afar are yet to have attracted any concrete interest, although they definitely suggest that Ashley is keen to find a buyer.
Whether or not any potential buyer gets close to his £400m asking price is another matter.
However, the news should come as music to the ears of distressed Newcastle fans who are vying to get Ashley out of their beloved club.
Here's what was said by Waugh on The Chronicle's recent Q&A: “It is my understanding that over the summer, people close to Ashley were attempting to drum up interest in the USA and also in East Asia, but I have heard nothing to suggest that has turned into anything concrete I’m afraid.”
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Over the summer, Rafael Benitez's Newcastle managed to complete the signings of South Korea international Ki Sung-Yeung and Japan international Yoshinori Muto from Swansea and Mainz respectively.
Whilst the pair are good players in their own right, it could be perceived that the signings were also made to increase interest in the club in east Asia in the hope of attracting a buyer.
Staveley is still said to be interest in buying Ashley's 100% stake in the club, although not for the £400m asking price being demanded.
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Ashley is clearly looking for a significant profit on the £135m he spent when he purchased the Tyneside outfit in 2007.
Waugh also added: “Obviously Amanda Staveley and PCP Capital Partners Ltd submitted three offers for the club, though none of those were accepted by Mike Ashley, and the last I heard on that front was that there was still interest, but only if the asking price lowered.”
