trooper

Genuine questions 1.) Is this likely to be really happening now ? (I.e. takeover) b.) How far along is it ?

Someone called Odin over on N.O. has posted this.... Nesreen Osman and her team in both UAE and the UK office are the lawyers looking out for BZG’s interests. No idea about Ashley’s side. Conflict of interest in having the same firm is correct. BZG have used Pinsent on major construction work before so they have history. My source at Pinsents tells me her team have already been in discussions with Benítez but at an early stage. All very relaxed as this is a totally new contract with a new employer but he’s probably having to sell his vision all over again so it will take time. As far goes Pinsent yes, I moonlight as a recruiter for high level positions. Legal is one of the areas I dabble in along with Localization and Digital. I’ve pinched a few for them (Pinsent Masons) in the last 2 years. Especially when they were setting up a new Dublin office. 2nd post from Odin.... I didn’t post all day yesterday as am on holidays in Italy right now but when I saw all the news yesterday evening I reached out to my guy and he was aware of it so I didn’t need to fish too much for the info. The takeover is a formality at this stage I’ve been told. Pinsent have a big team working on this, I assume Ashley does too with his lawyers so it’ll get trashed out in due course. The main thing now is for BZG to move funds into a holding account controlled by the law firm. He doesn’t know for sure as he’s not working directly on this but he says deals of this size are usually done in instalments over the course of a few weeks and if the club has been broken up into smaller pieces like it has, each transaction will be a tranch of parts of the club, until it’s all transferred over in full.

Any chance we can get "Aladdin" side to see what's going on ?

What splendid repartee

"2 pints of snakebite playing Lindisfarne on the jukebox"

Ha ha ha howay lads let's have it

Latest from George Caulkin... If I had an update, I’d give one! It’s not like I’ve forgotten. And I don’t want to fan the flames unnecessarily. This week should bring news and I hope it’ll be positive, but I’m not going into more detail than that because I can’ Wether theres news on Rafa or "The Sheikhover" hes not saying

Yeah The Mirror newspaper said "talks had concluded" & the club were waiting on a decision from Rafa. A sort of take it or leave it situation

It looks like the clocks getting well & truly run down on Rafa's contract. What should have been almost a formality looks like it's going right to the wire.

Just seen this I always thought he was on £6 million a year ? From the Times: If it’s tough at the top in business, in professional football the pressure is off the scale. The impatience for success and intolerance of perceived failure is such that the average tenure as a manager in the Premier League is 1.7 years, according to the League Managers Association. The rewards, however, while usually not in the same stratosphere as they are for the players, are buoyed by the vast sums sloshing into the game from TV rights and foreign owners with deep pockets attracted by trophy global sports brands. Even the serial underachieving “big club” Newcastle United pay Rafael Benítez £4 million a year, a fact that must make the owner, Mike Ashley wince.

With all previous bids, the bidder has been very quiet. Yet this sheikh seems to be singing like a canary.

The sheik says " they've agreed a price" to me that means they've agreed the clubs worth £350 million. Now whether they bid that amount remains to be seen. Or even if they make a bid.

Funds provided, price agreed but they've not said they've put in a bid for the club. Until that happens I'm reluctant to take this seriously

It probably is, but with 18 days since Ashley/Charnley & Rafa had The Meeting. I think we're at the point were stuff might start getting leaked, if neither party release a statement.

So why are the club waiting on a decision when the alleged new owners reportedly dont want him. There's a rabbit off here like.

This from The Chron... Talks between Newcastle and Benitez are now believed to be concluded and it is now down to the former Liverpool boss to decide whether he can work with the terms offered. It is understood that United are now waiting for Benitez to get back to them with a final answer.

Or fucking stupid

Not sure what to make of this it seems similar to when The Magpie Group were asked to call off any protests, so as not to deter any potential buyers. This was around the time of the Kenyon "fakeover" bid True Faith today claim that: "Contacts have been made with the Fans Forum members requesting they do not criticise the club’s communications."

The Sunday Mirror John Richardson reports that prospective new owners of Newcastle United may be ready to let Rafa Benitez leave the club as they look to Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger. He writes that Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his group “have their own targets” and may let Benitez leave the club – with contract talks mothballed for the moment. But he also reflects doubts from the Ashley side, quoting a source as saying: “Mike is starting to think that it’s another publicity stunt, which will ultimately end in the club remaining unsold. He now wants those representing the Sheikh to either put up or shut up. We’ve had fake Sheikhs before. He’s hoping this isn’t another one.” He writes that until takeover talk emerged, talks between the club and Benitez were “advanced”, with an expectation he would stay.

It's not coming is it ?

It's very quiet today

The alleged buyer seems to be telling everyone

Full set of no comments on our behalf No comment from the club No comment from the Premier League No Rafa refuses to comment on the takeover & his contract talks

We were all here when we were shit. We were also here when were "mint " for a while in the 90's