Newcastle United takeover and transfer news: Doubt cast on Peter Kenyon contrived Magpies deal

Peter Kenyon’s attempts to manufacture a takeover of Newcastle United have been cast into doubt.
NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 22:  Chelsea Chief Executive Peter Kenyon  looks on prior to the start of the Barclays Premiership match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on April 22, 2007 in Newcastle, England.  (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 22:  Chelsea Chief Executive Peter Kenyon  looks on prior to the start of the Barclays Premiership match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on April 22, 2007 in Newcastle, England.  (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 22: Chelsea Chief Executive Peter Kenyon looks on prior to the start of the Barclays Premiership match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on April 22, 2007 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

The former Manchester United and Chelsea chief has been sniffing around the Magpies for more than six months now and is seen by owner Mike Ashley as his preferred buyer.

But there have been major question marks about whether he can drum up the finances to complete a takeover – with his £300m GACP Sports bid still some way short of the capital to convince Ashley to part with the club he bought 12 years ago.

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And a journalist who recently secured an exclusive interview with Sports Direct tycoon Ashley has revealed his thoughts on the Kenyon bid – and they’re far from positive.

Daily Mail chief sports writer Martin Samuels, speaking on Sky Sports, said: “I would like to announce I’m actually bidding to buy Newcastle. At the moment I’m £300million short, which I think puts me about £1.50 behind Peter Kenyon at the moment.

“When someone buys Newcastle, the first time you read about it, it will be done. I think that with 90% of takeovers of big clubs.

“This club has been for sale virtually since the man bought it. If you want to buy Newcastle, you can phone him up and have Newcastle by the afternoon. But you need £300million. If you haven’t got it, that’s a problem.

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“When you look at that prospectus, they’re talking about £36million transfer budgets and £40million – well they bought a centre forward for that in the summer. That's not changing anything at Newcastle.”

Meanwhile, if the failed Bin Zayed Group takeover had gone through in the summer Newcastle United would have appointed a different manager. Details below…

Elsewhere, Isaac Hayden has received some positive news on his ban for his red at Leicester.

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And finally, here’s a fan take on the issues at NUFC at present.