Mike Ashley has bad news for Newcastle United fans as he reveals view on takeover bid

Justin Barnes, Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley.

Ashley – who put the club up for sale in late 2017 – has given an extraordinary interview in the Daily Mail.

And he has seemingly dismissed the possibility of a sale to the Dubai-based Bin Zayed Group, who claimed in late May that they had “agreed terms” on a sale.

“So I have to assume I will stay running this football club,” said Ashley.

“There are no offers. Define an offer. I'm not a believer any more. Peter Kenyon convinced me last Christmas that it was going to get done. I'm never doing that again.

“I think I could own this football club forever. That is my new mental state. The reality is with these deals that once it gets out, if it's not done, it's probably not going to get done.

“The day someone buys Newcastle, they'll do their due diligence – and finished. It will happen like Manchester City. By the time the media find out, it's already complete. There's no need for a delay with Newcastle. It’s, honestly, a very well-run football club.

“The last bid, the one from UAE ... he's a prince and he's got £38billion or £100billion, all these numbers – well, why would you even care what you're paying then? What difference would £10million either way make?

“You would want speed, you would want certainty, you would want the keys and to get on with it.”