Meanwhile: Contracts have been signed and submitted to the Premier League between Ashley and Dubai-based billionaire Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan, to buy Newcastle United for £350M.
This is breaking as of 40 minutes ago. Bold claim though.
Edit: Newcastle issue no comment statement. Sky Sports are going into meltdown at the thought they've been out scooped. I'm just sat thinking are we really doing this again? It's worth noting from my own perspective, Ashley and Co have been negotiating promises with Benitez and those have progressed well and a deal was set to be reached in the coming week. So why bother with that if a deal to sell the club was that close? Said before someone was in the data room but a deal this quick seems too far fetched. This is the same guy that failed in a £2bn takeover of Liverpool so he's sniffing around the Premier League regardless.
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Sheikh Khaled's reps claim deal is concluded.
News outlets now running story that Sheikh Khaled has insisted he's purchased Newcastle United for a price of £350M. I'm gobsmacked.