Newcastle United have been put up for sale by Mike Ashley and things seem to be moving swiftly for the Tyneside giants, who are looking to conclude a deal before Christmas which would allow the new owners to hand money to Rafael Benitez in January.
The Spanish boss was left frustrated by a lack of funds made available in the summer by Ashley, even being linked with an exit from St. James’ Park, but the situation looks set to change dramatically if a proposed takeover goes ahead.
The Daily Mail reports today that Amanda Staveley, who was pictured in attendance for the 1-1 draw with Liverpool before the international break, has offered a sum of £300m for the Premier League side- but it’s the other news on finances that will interest the fans.
Per the reports, Staveley’s PCP Capital firm are ready to offer Benitez a whopping £300m to rebuild his squad in the New Year, as the Magpies seek to rise towards the top end of the Premier League and find the stability they’ve lacked under Ashley.
The eye-watering figure could see Newcastle go toe-to-toe with the big boys in England’s top-flight as they aim to return to European football, putting them in direct competition with Everton and West Ham- both of whom spent heavily in the summer but are underperforming this season.
With those sorts of funds, Newcastle could compete for some bigger names in the transfer market and would be expected to break their ten-year old transfer record from 2006, where the Magpies brought Michael Owen back to English football from Real Madrid.
It’s staggering that Newcastle have not spent over £20m on a single player for over a decade but the newly-available finances that should be on the table if Staveley completes her takeover of the Tyneside giants should change the scene swiftly.
Benitez will likely seek a reliable goalscorer in January after the Magpies have failed to show consistency in front of goal so far this season and may also seek a top-class defensive partner for captain Jamaal Lascelles, as well as an upgrade on Rob Elliott between the sticks.
The danger is doing too much too soon, as West Ham will tell you after their disastrous spending spree 18 months ago, and Everton have found themselves in similar situations this year. Fortunately, Benitez has the experience to ensure that’s not a massive problem.
