OPINION
Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is no closer to selling the club now than he was about a year ago when he officially put it up for sale.
Ashley’s failure to sell the club on has been down to a variety of reasons, not least his insistence on a price tag which no investor sees as reasonable enough to enter negotiations.
According to the Daily Mail, another reason behind Newcastle still being in Ashley’s hands is his refusal to insert a clause in the case of relegation.
The newspaper report that prospective buyers all want a clause included which would see them get some money back if the club are relegated in the near future.
Ashley is however refusing to include such a clause in any sale, and that has led to a deadlock which has seen the takeover front fall quiet on Tyneside in recent months.
It is ironic then that the future of Ashley at Newcastle may be in the hands of manager Rafa Benitez, with the two having had such a rocky relationship in the past.
This is because any potential buyers of Newcastle would surely be convinced to purchase the club should they become a regular in the Premier League.
The only reason that these investors need a relegation clause inserted in any deal is because the Magpies are in danger of the drop every season.
Should Benitez remain at the club past the summer and turn Newcastle into a force in the Premier League once again, then investors would likely be convinced to forgo a relegation clause and buy the club from Ashley.
It is interesting that Benitez may therefore hold the key to ousting Ashley, under whom he has struggled to secure the investment needed to take his team to the next level.
Hopefully the Spaniard does now remain on Tyneside and play a part in getting the club into new hands that will invest properly and give this city the team they deserve.