Newcastle United fans will have felt that Christmas came early yesterday after the public announcement from Mike Ashley, where he revealed that the Magpies were officially up for sale- with the intention to sell before the New Year.
A number of interested parties are said to be sniffing around, including Chinese consortiums, and there is every chance that a club like Newcastle will be snapped up imminently- as they’re a big side based in a big city with plenty of potential.
That will be comforting for fans but there is no guarantee that a deal will be ironed out before the New Year, which could crucially cause Rafael Benitez problems in the January transfer window- following on from the issues he had during the summer.
In the close-season, the Spaniard was heavily linked with an exit after Ashley refused to give his manager the financial backing he was searching for and Benitez is likely to be chasing funds in January. However, if a sale is not completed, then he’ll be left pinching the pennies.
If Newcastle’s sale is not completed by the January transfer window, then Ashley’s funds are likely to be pulled together by player’s exits from St. James’ Park- which potentially means the Magpies will enter the running for signings later than their counterparts elsewhere in the division.
Currently sitting pretty with 12 points, the situation for Newcastle is extremely positive but that can change in the blink of an eye in the Premier League- with the Magpies facing a crucial run of games in the weeks ahead against Crystal Palace, Burnley and Bournemouth.
With the club still searching for a reliable goalscorer, a new striker signing is likely to be top of Benitez’ wish-list in January and forwards come at a premium price in the modern marker. If a takeover isn’t completed, then the experienced boss could be left extremely frustrated.
