Newcastle United takeover – Saudi saga leaves club paralysed as others make progress

Nothing speaks more about the situation Newcastle United are in than the decision to open talks with Andy Carroll over a new contract. This news comes just days after his name was published on the Premier League website as one of the released players.

This suggests that the club did submit his name as a player they wouldn’t be retaining, before a change of heart has led to discussions being open. On social media, fans continue to debate and get excited about the potential takeover led by the PIF, Amanda Staveley and Reuben brothers. There is no doubt that this deal would likely lead to a much more exciting period following the football club. However, the malaise and lack of progress is holding us back.

There was a new spate of reports about the confidence within Mike Ashley’s camp that the ongoing legal cases will bring a positive resolution. It may come to pass that it does. However, the world of law spins slowly. There are hearings, appeals and delays. The Premier League won’t go down lightly, even if it comes to light that they are in the wrong. This means, a positive conclusion is likely to take time.

If the Premier League were going to accept this deal quickly, they would have already. 

In the mean-time, the football club continues to drift in a state of paralysis. The rumour of a new deal to Andy Carroll underlines that point. Not even Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United believe the former England international is still capable of performing consistently at Premier League level. If they did, his name would never have been published on the Premier League website as one of the released players.

Since that decision was made, there has clearly been discussions about the level of finance available this summer, or lack of it. Based on this, Steve Bruce may have decided that it will be better to keep Carroll around to ensure he isn’t left short next season.

A decision to keep Carroll wouldn’t even be a bad move due to his own regression. It would also take up one of the precious 25 places in the Premier League squad, which reduces our ability to bring reinforcements in. 

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have shown ambition in their attempts – albeit unsuccessful – to appoint Nuno Espirito Santo and Aston Villa are cherry picking star players from other bottom half Premier League teams, looking to sign James Ward-Prowse after agreeing a club record deal for Norwich’s Emi Buendia. These are sides looking to push forward, while we are left trying to offer a new contract to a striker who has scored just once in the last two seasons. In the campaign that has just finished, he played just 384 minutes in the Premier League.

It highlights the issue of keeping hold of this takeover. There is uncertainty about the short and long term future of the club. Ashley is even less willing to release funds, as he could be selling in the coming months. Steve Bruce is in charge, despite being a poor Premier League coach and there is no ambition to appoint anybody else who may be able to push the club on.

We have managed to avoid relegation in the last two seasons, but there is no doubt that we are merely staying still. In the Premier League, that is a dangerous thing to do, as eventually more ambitious clubs will pass us by. We have already seen Leeds United and Aston Villa push on beyond us. Brentford are a well run club, who will want to push on in the Premier League. They could be next. 

This takeover process post agreement has now been ongoing for well over a year. At some point, Mike Ashley needs to move on. I am not believing that it is a choice between this consortium or Mike Ashley. There will be more interested parties out there. 

This legal process and ongoing commitment to the takeover is becoming an issue. There are only so many seasons that we can expect Steve Bruce to keep this side in the Premier League without further investment. We will see what the summer will bring, but the transfer business at Arsenal is already a concern. They are set to sell Matteo Guendouzi, Granit Xhaka and Hector Bellerin. Their need to sell Joe Willock is decreasing day on day. 

If we don’t bring Willock back, we will already be starting next season in a weaker position than we ended last season in. That doesn’t even bring into focus the need to strengthen the rest of the squad.

It is okay for Ashley to pursue legal proceedings, but he can’t let the team stagnate at the same time. This time next year, he may have lost his legal cases and we may have been relegated.

At this point in time, that seems more likely than PIF owning the club. 

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332 thoughts on “Newcastle United takeover – Saudi saga leaves club paralysed as others make progress

  1. England could win it Eric. It’s a waning Germany side but they still manage to win games against us.

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  2. I have my wanderlust head on again. Back to when I was like 20 and hitch-hiked around Europe. It is Covid and being cooped up. So, off to New Mexico in a month. Just got back from New Orleans.

    Maine, before that and Seattle and Oregon. Sedona, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone before that.

    I have been to all of the US big cities so didnt need to go there.

    And to The Trossachs just before this Covid hit and Cabo san Luca in Mexico. Whale watching.

    I think it is about living in such a big city 🙂 I get myself worked up and it is – alreet, I have to go to the outdoors.

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  3. georgio: England have the best front players if kane can get his **** into gear.

    Midfield? Not so much 🙂

    Manager? Low and Southgate are as shyte as each other.

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  4. Even though we have won NOWT we have been lucky with players

    Supermac
    Saint Peter of Beardsley
    Keegan
    Gazza
    Shearer
    Ginola
    Sir Les

    All a joy to watch.

    And now St Max.

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  5. Jermaine Jenas is possibly the most overrated footballer in my lifetime. More so than Ray (Butch) Wilkins.

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  6. I googled “most overrated footballers of all time” and Kimtoon’s David Ginola was number 2. Are you fcn kidding me!!!! Robert lewandowski was number 37. FFS. The only centre forward who is better than Shearer.

    Ronaldo was 28. Not sure if it was Fat Ronaldo or Christiano but there is no way he should have appreared on this list. Who wrote it. Zlatan was 38.

    Sergio Ramos was number 25 🙂

    Kevin De Bruyne was 14!!!!

    Who writes this ****?

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  7. I read your aritcle on Keys, Olly. What planet is he on? I was never a big fan of Rafa… But:

    He says about Rafa “his best days are long behind him” And you Richard? Your best days are in front of you? You dont even have any top teeth.

    Take your ex-hairy hands that you had lasered and your daughters best friend you shagged and were dumped by and just fck off.

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  8. I dont know if anybody knows this, but I do.

    Vardy would drink Skittles and Vodka the night before his games. In the same bottle!

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  9. Look who just came on? Kevin MBabu.

    Didn’t he play for a black and white striped team in the NE of England?

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  10. That missed pen was a game changer. If they’d gone 2-0 up I think France would’ve been done.

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  11. Well well, if we do get taken over by the Saudi’s then do we still fancy our star signing to be Mbappe lol ?
    Got to feel for the guy, such a talent but a flop tonight .

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  12. I pray that we don’t end up with a penalty shoot out against the Germans tomorrow… that was stressful and we weren’t in the game! ?

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  13. Gilly Toon:
    France out, Portugal out, Holland out, Croatia out ….

    England out 🙂

    I think we will beat the Germans this time despite Southgate. I think we have a better team.

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  14. 2 great games today!!!

    It almost makes up for the groups.

    Should just start with the round of 16.

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  15. It is the central mids though. Our achilles heel. I am not even sure if Rice would get in the Turkey team. Should have taken Willock or a 55 year old Paul Gascoigne.

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  16. Rice and Turkey go well togather though. Wild rice, for stuffing with some sage and onions and cranberries.

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  17. I was 4 years old last time England won anything.

    7 years old last time NUFC did, unless you count the Intertoto Cup.

    51 years of hurt, still cant stop me dreaming. It’s coming home, it’s coming home. Football’s coming home. Or the Germans will sing that song again. I thought it was quite funny when they did it the last time 🙂

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  18. Pogba had a really good game. Probably the best since he was at Juve. But that dance 🙂 To mis-quote Keneth Wolstentholme – he thinks it is all over, it is not now!

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  19. Well, house is a mess, adaptions team are in and there is dust EVERYWHERE, that horrible black mortar dust that gets everywhere.
    Thank god the footie is on to distract me from cleaning 🙄

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  20. Eric:
    I was 4 years old last time England won anything.

    I was at the England Argentina quarter final as a 13 year old. Bought up in South London as a Wimbledon Supporter I was also at Wembly for the 1963 FA amateur cup which we won. Couldn’t get tickets for 1988 v Liverpool

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  21. PremAndUp: I was at the England Argentina quarter final as a 13 year old. Bought up in South London as a Wimbledon Supporter I was also at Wembly for the 1963 FA amateur cup which we won. Couldn’t get tickets for 1988 v Liverpool

    Prem: I lived in Southfields for a year. Went to the old Wimbledon FC to watch Liverpool. It was one of those great Liverpool teams but the outstanding player on the pitch was Peter Beardsley. Maybe that is my black and white glasses but I dont think so. Went with a Scouser and he said the same thing.

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  22. This is so different to when I got to the US 30 years ago. Every game is live on TV now and streamed so you can watch at work as well. I didnt see a single game in the 1996 Euros. The WC was here in 1994 and I watched some of that. It was quite funny because they would cut to commercial and miss goals. Thankfully they dont do that anymore

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  23. Hope we play with a bit more pace and intent today, would love to see Grealish start, but know he won’t.

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  24. The rumours are that he is going back 3 and wing backs. I said earlier on this thread that I thought that is what Southgate would do. Hope Saka is one of the wingbacks.

    Grealish wont start as Kimtoon said. I just dont see it, Southgate is too conservative. He’s going to play 2 holding mids as well isnt he!!! Probably with Henderson as a 3rd MFer.

    My guess:

    TRex

    Walker Stones McGuire

    Rice Philips Henderson

    Saka Trippier (wingbacks)

    Sterling Kane

    5-3-2

    After all the fun yesterday I hope he doesnt do a Bruce and go for 1 nil.

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  25. I think he is going to dump Foden unless there is extra time. He hasnt played that well and Southgate seems to be picky.

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  26. Got the lineup right apart from Shaw as a wingback and no hendo.

    I figured he’d go for no Foden or Grealish, at least to start with.

    Might end up a 8-0-2 as Saka is a good defender. Maybe Southgate has been on the phone to Brucie?

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  27. You have 3 of the best attacking talents in the world – Foden, Grealish, Mount – and you play none of them 🙂 At least Kane and Saka are getting a game. I am on the fence about Sterling but he does have a good scoring record.

    Hopefully Werner will be the Chelsea Werner and not the Leipzig Werner.

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  28. Rice is utterly useless, we look clueless.
    Come on Gareth, stop being so darn cautious.

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  29. Kane is having another quiet game as well. He just needs one chance though.

    on 32 mins Harry has had 2 touches, Is it this transfer stuff?

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  30. Kimtoon: I would rather have a more attacking player on than Rice. I dont really care which one – Mount, Grealish, Henderson, Foden. We could really press this German side who arent that good.

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  31. C’mon, C’mon “urry up ‘Arry C’mon. Were goin daarn the Pub.

    There’s something up with Kane. He seems a step slower.

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  32. Can’t believe Kane didn’t score at the end there like. Why does Walker dislike crossing the ball ?

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  33. Shaw should go off. Put Saka or Walker there.

    I have no idea what Kane is doing. He needs to stay up the field. It is not Mourinho’s Spurs FFS.

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  34. There were so many peop;le calling for Sterling not to play. I telt people on here that we had two 20 goal a season players in him and Kane so you rreally had to play them despite their form.

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  35. Well a great win! And what a miss from Müller … it’s been a long time coming. Rubbish game until the last 15 mins or so, but happy with that. Great result.

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  36. Rome next and that is England’s only away game of the whole tournament. They were pretty much handed a home draw. Ukraine or Sweden cannot be the next Iceland. This is a better England Squad and Mr Roy will not be going sightseeing on the Seine before the biggest game of his life.

    I still do not think Southgate is the best coach in the world but he isnt dumb. No cruises down the Tiber for him and Steve Holland. I still cannot believe the papers didnt slaughter Mr Roy for that terrible decision.

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  37. The Mackem Toddler didnt make a mistake either. I am always worried about his punching but he only had 1 punch today.

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  38. I hammered Southgate for our group games – in particular Scotland, so it’s only right and fair I give HIM the credit where it’s due ??????.

    I thought the change in formation really suited us tonight & showed that playing 3 CBs does not have to be a negative or defensive tactic.

    The players stuck to their roles brilliantly & made it a really enjoyable & entertaining game – I only ever thought it was a matter of time for us to score & win the game.

    I know that’s not the best German side ever – but it’s still the Germans & they still have some good players, so our boys should take great confidence – and the next game is certainly favourable (on paper – I think of Iceland ??‍♂️).

    France & Germany now out & Belgium play Italy in the next round – so another big gun will go.

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  39. Rafa set to be named Everton Manager in the next 48 hrs according to The Guardian. There will be suicides on The Mag and Eds.

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