Don't be blue, Peter Peter Kenyon yet to agree Newcastle deal despite Mike Ashley talks
PETER KENYON has still not secured the funds to buy Newcastle despite continued talks with Mike Ashley.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United chief executive has been trying since September to find backers to launch a takeover of the Toon.
But SunSport understands Kenyon is yet to complete financial arrangements with investors in America before he can table a formal bid.
Owner Ashley revealed on Monday talks over a sale are “at a more progressed stage than they had ever been”.
That was believed to have been a reference to the Kenyon-led consortium.
Yet it looks unlikely any takeover will be completed by the Sports Direct tycoon’s preferred time-frame of January as a bid would need to be accepted and due diligence completed.
Then, the Premier League carry out their own checks, which take two weeks.
Kenyon is working with US firm Rockefeller Capital Management and has been searching for backers for the past four months.
Sources close to Ashley insist another three parties are interested in buying Newcastle and can match his £300million-plus valuation.
But our sources claim no group is yet to make contact with Toon manager Rafa Benitez, who is one of the club’s biggest assets though is out of contract in the summer.
Last year, when British businesswoman Amanda Staveley bid for the St James’ Park club, she was quick to assure Benitez that he was a key part of her plans.
So the fact the Spaniard has not been consulted by Kenyon, or any other party, raises further doubt about how close a sale is to being completed.
