Newcastle United are hopeful the Saudi Arabian takeover of the club will be completed in the summer.
What has changed?
According to Football Insider, talks between the club, the investors and the Premier League have continued despite the PIF backers walking away from the deal back in July.
The report suggests there is a growing belief that the league could allow the deal to happen in the coming weeks and months, with those behind the scenes said to be privately confident.
Should we be excited?
Clearly, any end to the Mike Ashley era would be roundly celebrated after fourteen years of misery but, sadly, we have been here before.
That’s not to do a disservice to those reporting the news, of course. Should Newcastle enter a world of almost unparalleled footballing wealth, it would represent one of the biggest moments in the club’s history, as well as the league’s. Much like Manchester City’s takeover in 2008, it could be a watershed moment for English football, with another club theoretically able to match the financial might of the traditional top six.
However, Newcastle supporters have had to watch a number of failed takeover bids descended into nothing and, even when it got tantalising close last year, it still didn’t happen.
Do the club need to stay up to be taken over?
Last month, The Daily Telegraph revealed that takeover talks had been put on hold as the club focused on avoiding relegation from the Premier League. Still, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund may not be completely out of the picture even if Newcastle were in the Championship next season, though did admit the whole situation in terms of changing ownership was starting to look grim.