Mike Ashley “physically signed” a Head to Terms agreement agree if to sell Newcastle United this summer, according to The Sun journalist Justin Allen.
The Magpies were at the centre of a long and heavily reported saga over a potential buyout from the Bin Zayed Group for some time before it became apparent that they would not be under new ownership before the new campaign.
A new article from Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has suggested that no agreement was ever in place to sell this summer, but Allen, who initially broke the story, has disputed that suggestion.
Writing on his personal Twitter account, he said: “Mike Ashley physically signed Heads of Terms agreeing to sell Newcastle to BZG for £350m.
“The paperwork was lodged with the Premier League.
“It’s very easy to shoot the messenger.”
OPINION
At this stage, any given journalist can come out and make any comment they want about Newcastle United and the Bin Zayed Group, and it will never be proven or disproven. Realistically, who can say whether Ashley signed a deal and went back on it or not? The Sports Direct tycoon is so clandestine in his dealings, and so poorly trusted on Tyneside, that you could just about make any accusation towards him and it would probably be believed by a large section of the fanbase. The only thing that matters now is that he still owns the club. For all of the rumours and reports, Mike Ashley still has his name on the deeds, and by the looks of things, given that we have been through this sorry charade several times before, and given the fact that he has spent big by his own paltry standards to back a new regime under a manager that he actively sought out, it could be some time before we see him leave the north east too.
