Journalist provides update on Peter Kenyon interest & US investors – Confirms Ashley ‘connection’

The Chronicle’s Chris Waugh has insisted that Peter Kenyon’s ‘genuine’ interest in taking over Newcastle United has not faded – claiming that he and Ashley have ‘connections’, with the NUFC owner ‘receptive’ to his interest.

The issue with Kenyon is that, like Amanda Staveley, he would just be fronting a takeover bid. He is NOT capable of funding it on his own – and that is why he still appears to be searching for investors capable of big financial backing.

Waugh’s update also reveals how he’s made a ‘couple of calls’ to gain a response to last night’s rumours involving ‘wealthy’ US investors, claiming that these are being treated with scepticism – despite The Mail’s story coming from a journalist who’s ‘well respected within the industry’:

“As for this latest report, I’ve put in a couple of calls, and the immediate reaction is one of scepticism. I am not doubting the authenticity of the piece – the journalist who has written it is well respected within the industry – but it is a little light in detail. It sounds to me as if this is still in the very early stages of interest and, until it develops further, I wouldn’t get too excited too soon if I was a Newcastle fan.

“According to this report, a rival to former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon – whose interest Chronicle Live understands is genuine – to buy Newcastle has emerged.

“It is understood that Ashley and Kenyon have connections with one another, and the Newcastle owner is believed to be receptive to the ex-Chelsea official’s interest, even if he does not yet have the funds to make an offer for the Magpies.”

If we believed everything we’ve read, there’s now a few different groups in the mix here – with Sky Sports claiming this afternoon that  Saudi investors are the latest party keen to buy the club.

There’s Staveley, Kenyon, some ‘seriously wealthy’ US investors and there’s alleged ‘interest’ from Saudi Arabia too – but whether any of these are serious about taking over and remotely closing to doing a deal with Mike Ashley is a totally different matter.

Unfortunately, I can see this one dragging out once again, with most of these interested parties likely to resist until they know our place in the Premier League is all but secured.