Newcastle’s life president Sir John Hall has claimed that the Magpies are a bargain at Mike Ashley’s selling price and have huge potential for any prospective buyers.
Mike Ashley officially put the club up for sale earlier this week in a huge development, with several suitors rumoured to be interested in a takeover.
Talking in the Sun, Hall stated that he would jump at the chance to buy the club if he was thinking about getting into football.
He also claimed that the club could easily be as big as Manchester United or any of the other Premier League top six.
“It seems that Mike Ashley wants about £350million,” he said in the Sun.
“But if you are going to extend the stadium, then you need to think about the millions that will cost and you will also have to put in money for players.
“Manchester United are now worth more than a billion and the rest of the top five or six must be worth £600m to a billion.
“Newcastle have the potential to move up to that level.
“But you have to stay with it because it will take a good few years to compete with the top clubs. You are talking about a five-year period.”
OPINION
Newcastle fans love John Hall but how they must wish he’d never sold to Mike Ashley. Now, the Ashley era looks like it’s coming to an end and Hall is right – Newcastle have a huge amount of untapped potential. It’s a huge club that’s under-achieved for a long time and if the right owners can be found, who are willing to invest in the club and the infrastructure, the rewards could be huge. Hall talks about a five-year plan and a club that could be as big as Manchester United – and that must be music to fans’ ears.