Journalist Ciaran Kelly has provided an insight into what potential new Newcastle United owner Sheikh Khaled is like as a person.
The Magpies reporter delivered the update on The Chronicle’s website on Monday, stating that the head of the Bin Zayed Group, who Kelly asserts want to buy the club, is thought to be a very personable man.
He regularly attends graduations at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai, feels a sense of duty to youngsters and believes that education is a key pillar of life.
It’s said that it has always been his dream to own a Premier League club, particularly one with a proud history. He gave up on Liverpool and has settled on the Magpies as a cheaper and more viable alternative.
OPINION
There are a few interesting little tid-bits, here. Most important is probably that Sheikh Khaled originally wanted to buy European champions Liverpool, but has instead settled on Newcastle. That’s not exactly what the Toon Army would want to hear, but it’s no surprise that that’s the case. The Magpies will obviously be cheaper to buy than a club like Liverpool, while both teams have a proud history and rabid fanbases. Buying a Premier League team is obviously something that Sheikh Khaled has wanted to do for a while, which suggests that he would properly commit to the club and back them in the transfer market moving forward. By all accounts he is a pleasant man and someone who cares about people, education and sport. That’s good news, and suggests he might be a damn sight better than Mike Ashley. Still, the Newcastle supporters will only care so much about this sort of stuff. They want concrete news on a potential takeover, although that remains in short order.
