Mike Ashley says he would sell Newcastle United – if he could find a buyer.
Ashley – who bought the club a decade ago – expects to retain ownership of the Premier League club for a “good while longer”.
"I’ve put £250m into the football club. Guys, that’s it. There’s no more from me. Now the club has to generate it’s own money."
That was the latest startling revelation from the club’s billionaire owner.
Ashley – who was at St James’s Park for yesterday’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur – said he couldn’t compete with other clubs with richer owners as his fortune is in Sports Direct shares.
And Ashley reiterated that Newcastle must generate its own funds for manager Rafa Benitez, who last week told of his frustration at the club’s failure to secure a number of summer transfer targets.
“If somebody would like come along and take this seat and fund Newcastle with a nought on the end with their wealth more than me, I will not stand in Newcastle United’s way,”
Ashley told Sky Sports.
“One of the reasons I’m doing this interview is that I don’t think you’ll find there’s many people out there who will actually stand up and do it.
“I think we’re going to be together a good while longer and we’ve got the man in Rafa and let’s hope that we can generate some funds and we give him some chance to get some building blocks going over the coming years.”
Ashley added: “I’ve put £250m into the football club. Guys, that’s it. There’s no more from me. Now the club has to generate its own money.”