Former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has claimed that it is “extraordinarily unlikely” that Newcastle United will be sold by Christmas.
Owner Mike Ashley wants to sell the club and Amanda Staveley’s company PCP Partners, who reportedly value Newcastle at £300 million, have emerged as the frontrunners to take over.
However, Purslow feels that it is unrealistic to expect a deal to be finalised soon, with the end of the season a more likely timeframe.
Purlsow told Sky Sports (via The Shields Gazzette): “My feeling as an experienced mergers and acquisitions guy is that selling Newcastle in the next six weeks looks extraordinarily unlikely. If I was a betting man, I’d think it will be sold by the end of the season – not by Christmas.”
Regardless of whether the proposed takeover is completed by then, Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has plans to significantly improve his squad in the January transfer window.
As reported by Chronicle Live, Benitez said: “The first thing you are looking for is good players. Then you put a list of good players and after you put the prices. So we are looking for good players. Then if we cannot come here, OK, we will come here. But still we have a list."