The transfer window deadline for Newcastle United's owners-in-waiting as takeover decision remains unresolved

A transfer deadline has been set for Newcastle United’s owners-in-waiting – with the Premier League set to approve the date the window closes in England.
DIC negotiator Amanda Staveley takes her seat before Liverpool took on Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League semi-final football match against Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England, April 22, 2008. The game finished 1-1. AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)DIC negotiator Amanda Staveley takes her seat before Liverpool took on Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League semi-final football match against Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England, April 22, 2008. The game finished 1-1. AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
DIC negotiator Amanda Staveley takes her seat before Liverpool took on Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League semi-final football match against Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England, April 22, 2008. The game finished 1-1. AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The takeover of Newcastle United by the Saudi-led consortium remains in the hands of the Premier League, with their owners and directors test continuing to drag out – but steps are being taken by the game’s governing bodies to decide when trading can start and finish this summer.

And while clubs across the land make plans for next season – window open and close dates will have a big say on that – United remain in limbo, with Steve Bruce, his players, fans and staff at the club unsure what the future holds on Tyneside.

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With domestic football set for conclusion on the first weekend of August – the Premier League the week previous – plans have provisionally been put in place for the 2020/21 season to begin around a month to six weeks after the end of this campaign, on either Saturday, August 29 or Saturday, September 12. The former date is said to be favoured by the Football Association, while the latter is more in line with the thinking of Premier League clubs, keen not to rush their players back due to the truncated nature of the summer after the enforced coronavirus break.

The switches in season dates has forced a rethink on summer trading, with clubs in line to give the green light to plans to slightly alter the time span and rules of the window, in order to fall in line, or as close to as is possible, the new campaign calendar.

And, as we all know, that leaves United’s new owners-in-waiting, and current absentee incumbent Mike Ashley, in a compromising position.

It is understood Ashley has written off his ownership of the Magpies, and continues to grow increasingly frustrated with the Premier League’s perceived inaction on the takeover front.

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When he agreed a £300million plus sale of the football club, he was told the process would not take more than four weeks to complete. He wanted it signed and sealed by April 30 in order to distribute the cash, paid up front by PCP Capital Partners, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and Reuben Brothers, across his retail empire.

Now he has been forced to task his trusted lieutenants, including Lee Charnley and others, to undertake some skeleton planning on transfers, contracts and more with the prospect of owning the football club into the 2020/21 season an increasingly real prospect.

The Saudi consortium too are frustrated, even more so than the seller.

They believed this summer would prove the perfect buffer to begin implementing their broad brush plans for change on Tyneside, both in terms of off-field and on-field matters. Instead, even if the deal gets the go-ahead this week – as bitterly suggested by former BeIN Sports frontman and part-time NUFC fans wind-up merchant Richard Keys – new owners would be playing catch-up when it comes to the up-coming campaign. Some of the plans they had for next season back in April, will understandably have to be shelved. This is, of course, seen very much as a long-term rebuild though, even if this summer and Premier League ‘i dotting’ has not allowed Amanda Staveley & Co to get their feet under the table as was initially hoped in the near 100 days since the deal was sent for ratification.

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While nothing is yet set in concrete with regards season date, Premier League clubs are believed to have broadly agreed to fall in line with FIFA advice on the transfer window. This would see trading close on October 5.

This could be extended for deals within England, with clubs in the lower leagues, though.

A statement from north of the border, issued by the Scottish Football Association, offers some clues.

“The Joint Response Group has been examining the optimum summer transfer window for Scottish football clubs, with consideration to the impact of COVID-19 on domestic and international movement of players. A request submitted by the Scottish FA to open the transfer window from today (Tuesday, 14 July) until midnight on Monday, 5 October has now been approved by FIFA,” it reads.

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It continues: “FIFA has confirmed that the summer transfer window cannot exceed 12 weeks. The staggered start dates to SPFL competitions and the need to try to strike an appropriate balance to allow all clubs to prepare for the new season.

"The recommendation from the European Leagues and UEFA that European associations close their transfer windows on 5 October.

“That the SPFL Board has approved, subject to approving the Regulations, amended loan principles for the coming season which extend the existing October Loan Window for League One and Two Clubs to also cover Championship clubs.

“Alignment, so far as possible, with other leagues and associations.”

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Last week, the Press Association reported clubs from the Premier League and EFL are in talks over a two-week extension for deals involving those leagues which could see business conducted right up until October 19.

When asked about the prospect of an extended transfer window, United boss Bruce said he is in favour of the proposal.

“I’m all for that. We’ve got to make up new rules because of what’s just happened in the world,” he said, ahead of his side’s clash with Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur at St James’s Park.

"If you give everybody clarity on it then we can all go to work. I do agree with the extra two weeks between the EFL and Premier League in particular. The EFL in particular are going to be particularly hard done by, so if they can muster some money from a transfer somewhere, it might help them.

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“I think its going to be like that for most clubs. We’ve all been put on hold because of what’s happened. We still don’t know if fans are going to get back for the start of next season, but we’ve got a big important summer because we’ve got to move on. We’ve got to identify who can bring into the club to keep improving.”

United have already made their first permanent transfer of the summer, landing Geordie keeper Mark Gillespie following his release by Scottish Premiership Motherwell.

And Bruce is keen to secure signing No2, with Danny Rose top of his list given that the player is keen to remain on Tyneside and Spurs would allow the England international to depart for as little as £5million this summer.

Whoever is in charge – be it a fresh broom or the old guard – time is of the essence for United.

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The clock is ticking on transfers, with less than 12 weeks to the slam shut. The clock also continues to tick on the takeover, with a lack of progress proving detrimental to all parties, bar the Premier League, of course, who continue to make ground-breaking, game-changing decisions, none of which involve new owners on Tyneside.

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