NEWCASTLE UNITED owner Mike Ashley is ready to name his price to would-be buyers of the club: £225 MILLION.
Newcastle United Up For Sale? RUBBISH!
And he must now wait to see if that figure scares off a Chinese consortium showing interest in the Magpies.
Although a rumoured Icelandic bid for the club came to nothing, the Sunday Sun understands there is real substance to talk of an approach from China.
But whether that will offer Ashley a £50 million-plus premium on his investment in United remains to be seen.
The sports retail billionaire has ploughed around £170 million - £133 million in buying the club, £30 million to reduce its debts and a £7 million net spend on players - into St James's Park.
No quotes from anybody ... just pure speculation.
Sorry, but I don't believe a single word of it.
Having spoken to those behind the scenes at St James' Park, I can promise you Ashley is here for the long haul, and not to stick a few million in his arse pocket!
Why would he want to? The man could buy half of the African continent just to make it his holiday home.