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Lee Clark delivers verdict on Newcastle takeover

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Image for Lee Clark delivers verdict on Newcastle takeover

Lee Clark shared he didn’t think a takeover of Newcastle United was imminent after trying to read between the lines.

The former Magpies midfielder shared that in his opinion Mike Ashley can’t be about to part company with the club anytime soon, otherwise, his regime wouldn’t be searching for a manager to succeed Rafa Benitez.

Clark admitted he didn’t know the full ins and outs of what was going on at the club, but seriously doubted that a takeover of Newcastle would happen before the start of the season.

“It’s only my opinion, but if there was a takeover that was imminent I would have thought that Mike Ashley would have let the new consortium decide what would happen with Rafa Benitez,” wrote Clark in his column for Tribal Football.

“If a new consortium is coming in, I would have also thought that Benitez and his advisors would have got assurances from them about what his position was.

“I don’t know the full ins and outs, but trying to read between the lines, the takeover is not imminent.

“It might be in the pipeline for the future, but I seriously doubt it will happen before the start of the season.

“Especially when Newcastle have shortlisted a few names for the job and are looking to get someone in very, very quickly.

“So if they’re going to appoint a new manager I would say that the takeover isn’t imminent because that job would be done by the new owners.”

OPINION

Clark really hasn’t dug very deep to come up with this view on a potential Newcastle takeover, as it’s likely most Magpies fans are assuming the same. Once the Magpies confirmed that Benitez was leaving the club, it was safe to assume that a takeover wasn’t about to occur. This is because logically, you would think Benitez would be willing to stay on at St James Park if a new regime was set to take charge and potentially hand him a transfer kitty to spend. However, if any Magpies fan is looking for a positive to cling to during these dark days, they should perhaps focus on the fact Clark claims a takeover of the club could be in the pipeline for the future. Although he may just be saying that in order to stop himself looking foolish if one goes through. The only thing that supports Clark’s theory about a takeover not being imminent but still potentially happening is a report by the Press Association. In the story relayed by the Belfast Telegraph, it was claimed the Magpies could be forced to appoint a manager on a short-term basis with the takeover potentially being weeks or months away; but weeks or months away is better than it not happening.

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