Unbelievable Mike Ashley news emerges – Rafa Benitez will be absolutely fuming..

According to the Shields Gazette’s Miles Starforth, Mike Ashley has now ‘gone on holiday for Christmas’ – leaving the club ‘no nearer to being sold’, with Rafa Benitez STILL yet to be told his January budget.

If it’s true that potential buyers are yet to show proof of funds or make a formal bid then maybe Mike can justify a Christmas break, but what’s unforgivable is claims that Rafa Benitez has been left not knowing his January budget – despite him expecting a chat with the club’s hierarchy to finalise plans before the new year.

Here’s a snippet from the latest takeover piece from the Shields Gazette’s Miles Starforth – claiming

‘Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has gone on holiday for Christmas – with the club no nearer being sold. 

‘And the Gazette understands that none of the four interested groups – one of them is led by former Chelsea and Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon – have lodged a formal bid. 

‘Ashley – who broke off talks with would-be buyer Amanda Staveley early this year – has left the matter in the hands of his lawyers while he is on his annual holiday over the festive period. 

‘The billionaire – who is looking for upwards of £300million for the club he bought 11 years ago – is waiting for one or more of the groups to secure the funds needed to buy the club. 

‘Rafa Benitez, meanwhile, was hoping to discuss the January window with the club’s hierarchy this week. 

‘United’s manager, desperate to strengthen his squad for the second half of the season, wants to know his transfer budget, having drawn up lists of potential targets, including Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almiron. 

‘It would take a club-record fee to sign 24-year-old Almiron, who is understood to be keen to join Newcastle.

‘And Benitez – who had to sell to buy in the summer after refusing to sign a new contract – wants to know where he stands ahead of the window, having done the groundwork head of recruitment Steve Nickson.’

Newcastle fans will hope desperately this report isn’t true but the sad truth is that this sounds pretty accurate knowing Ashley. Momentum has slowed and now almost evaporated ever since Ashley made the bizarre decision to go public on Sky News, especially if there wasn’t even a firm bid at that stage either.

It is beyond belief that we still have a world class manager, yet continue to drive him away and deprive him with the basics to help him do his job. Every window Ashley does this disappearing act, Rafa has clearly lined up the Almiron deal but once again a lack of finance will see it fall through. After all, the Almiron fee may be £20m and a new transfer record but let’s not forget we made a £21m profit in the summer so still would be merely breaking even.

Ashley is playing roulette with the future of Newcastle yet again and as fans, if this takeover doesn’t happen, we need to make it abundantly clear we need him out – and before Rafa goes.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

16 thoughts on “Unbelievable Mike Ashley news emerges – Rafa Benitez will be absolutely fuming..

  1. If this sale does not go through Ashley will not spend 40 or 50m Pounds he just wont do it, he sees we are in 14th place and will gamble we can hang on and stay up again. However we all know Rafa will tender his resignation as soon as his last day is up.

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  2. Do you really expect him to be sat in the office at St James waiting for the phone to ring??
    He has a mobile! and he has lawyers! FFS

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  3. BillyTheFish: According to the Shields Gazette’s Miles Starforth, Mike Ashley has now ‘gone on holiday for Christmas’ – leaving the club ‘no nearer to being sold’, with Rafa Benitez STILL yet to be told his January budget.

    But he’s left and missed the meeting Rafa wanted..

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  4. Olly Hawkins: But he’s left and missed the meeting Rafa wanted..

    Ashley doesn’t need to be at the meeting, the same way he doesn’t need to be in the country to sell the club. Charnley will meet with Rafa and his lawyers will be dealing with the sale and have a process in place. Ashley just needs to sanction it all and he can do that on the other end of a telephone call.

    I just agreed a house sale with an owner who was on a cruise in Cyprus. Same principle! No big story here.

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  5. It is ALL LIES , AR*****E ASHLEY has followed his usual patern, the guy is lower than dog ****, guess we just have to hope he has a devastating accident while on holiday, one that will end up with him in a box.
    Then we can all gather at his funeral and show our united feelings for him as we **** on his grave.

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  6. I second the above post. THERE IS NO SALE! NO MONEY WILL BE SPENT ON PLAYERS! Fat **** laughing away on his crimbo jollies AGAIN! Despicable human being.

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  7. Ged Shaw:
    If this sale does not go through Ashley will not spend 40 or 50m Pounds he just wont do it, he sees we are in 14th place and will gamble we can hang on and stay up again. However we all know Rafa will tender his resignation as soon as his last day is up.

    Rafa doesn’t have to hand in a Resignation Letter. On the last day of his Contract he isn’t employed anymore.

    If Rafa doesn’t sign a new Contract he’s out the door.

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  8. I have to say, all this drama queen **** is wearing really thin now.

    Huge outcry because Ashley goes on his Christmas holiday (which he always does) and even more bawling because Rafa doesn’t know what his budget is, which he has never known, for any transfer window, since he took over.

    The sale of NUFC will progress at whatever pace it goes at. You can be sure that Peter Kenyon will take his Christmas break, as will any other prospective buyers. You can be sure that the FA, who need to ratify the deal, will also be off on their hols.

    THe only people who may be affected by this are prospective buyers’ legal teams, who will be available , but on the egg-nogg anyway.

    Ashley’s team knows exactly what the criteria are for selling the club. If a buyer comes anywhere near that, then that’s when Ashley gets involved.

    Be careful – this site, with it’s continuous bile raging against the fact that Ashley is actually even breathing, is rapidly turning into just another Mag,

    As the attempts at a protested walk in showed, only a very small minority of fans feel that strongly about Ashley’s ownership, so it makes sense that by your incessant anti-Ashley ravings you are boring 95% of your readers.

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  9. Why is everyone talming about us signing Miguel Almiron, its a load of Bo****ks, RAFA WON’T be given any money by the fat LYING B**T**D cos he’s taking the **** as usual.

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  10. Why is everyone talking about us signing Miguel Almiron, its a load of Bo****ks, RAFA WON’T be given any money by the fat LYING B**T**D cos he’s taking the **** as usual.

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  11. Why would Benitez be furious? Even Benitez himself says he never talks to Ashley.

    Unless you think Rafa is upset because Ashley didn’t say “bye, bye and Happy Christmas”

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  12. I don’t know why we read this rubbish, he was on holiday last year too and Benitez was waiting until he came back for transfer funding (which he didn’t get) That man (and I use the term loosely) is just a big sleeze.

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