A message to Mike Ashley – cough up, sell up, or get ready to lose your biggest asset

There have been some telling quotes from Rafa in the last week or so; he wants top 8 and to be challenging for honours. This ambition should be celebrated and supported, not condemned. He’s clearly open to staying if Ashley can back him and show he’s got a business plan to achieve his ambitions, however this will take serious investment. For example, even signing the loan stars who have changed our season won’t be cheap and likely over £50m. Slimani would cost best part of £15/20m – Kenedy, would break our transfer record and Dubravka £4m.

There is also refusing big bids for players Rafa does want to keep too, like our skipper Lascelles. Of course, on top of the loan players, we likely need another £100m to sign 3/4 good quality players who can add to the squad and make an impact on the first XI. it’ll take serious investment if we’re to threaten that top 6, north of £150m. We do have some players to sell, Mitrovic, Mbemba etc to help – but Mike has to spend some of that TV money – no excuses this time.

It’s not just investment in transfers though, we need money spent on training ground, money spent on new young talent and a revamp of the reserves. Even if it’s short term and he only spends for a season ahead of new owners coming in, he needs to keep Rafa happy and enable progression, that is key for the former Inter Milan and Madird boss.

He needs to prove that he is able to match Rafa’s long term plan and I’m not convinced he can or will. One thing’s for sure, there can be no more broken promises or breakdowns in communication as Rafa will just walk. With this in mind, the ideal scenario is that he sells up. Let’s be fair, Rafa’s ambition is the top 6, trophies and beyond and I do not see a world where Ashley can deliver that. In the long run, NUFC will have to have new owners if we’re to match Rafa’s ambition, so we’d all prefer to see new owners come in now kick-start this project that will always carry an element of doubt while Ashley is around.

Let’s hope PCP prove their credentials and get this deal done, for the good of everybody.  The latest asking price is supposed to be £400m; a price we can debate if it is fair all day long but ultimately, let’s hope someone pays it and allows Rafa and the fans to continue the great journey we are on.