Newcastle United takeover: This is why relegation could cost Mike Ashley £100m

Newcastle, who were held to a 1-1 draw with Wolves at St James’s Park on Saturday evening, are in a relegation battle with under-fire Steve Bruce coming under increasing pressure.

Takeover talk continues to dominate the agenda on Tyneside and Ashley remains keen to sell to the PCP Capital Partners-led consortium.

Various legal avenues are being explored after the deal was withdrawn last year – with hopes high on the buying side that a positive conclusion can be reached.

However, one financial expert believes relegation would force Ashley to slash the asking price by £100m.

In a column for Football Insider, expert Kieran Maguire said: “The price that has been discussed with regards to the PIF takeover was £300m.

“Mike Ashley was originally asking for about £350m but on the back of Covid, he’s had to drop the price. If they are out of the Premier League, there’s no guarantee you’re getting back first season.

“Anybody buying the club this summer if Newcastle were in the Championship is immediately looking at £60m less in broadcast money and no guarantee the club is going to return the following season.

“I think he would have to knock off around a third of his asking price, to about £200m. The reason I say that is because if I was a buyer then why would I buy Newcastle in the Championship when I can buy Derby County who are allegedly going for £60m?”

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