Reports out of Northeast England say Newcastle United supporters who want owner Mike Ashley out at all costs have new hope.
United Arab Emirates billionaire Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan is said to be in talks with Ashley about a takeover of the St. James’ Park-based club, though there’s a lot of work to do for a deal to be complete.
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One report goes as far as to say Ashley has agreed to accept $444 million for the Premier League club.
Sheikh Khaled, 61, was educated at American colleges Boston University and Michigan State. He’s the cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and was turned down with a $2.5 billion bid for Liverpool last season.
Takeover talks are nothing new at Newcastle, and there does seem to be some heat to these reports, but Ashley and his crew have spun these stories of interest in the past. And with Magpies supporters waiting for news on Rafa Benitez’s new deal, some will be way of a smoke screen for an inability to reach an agreement with the celebrated Newcastle manager.