talkSPORT’s Middle East correspondent Ben Jacobs has delivered an updated timeline for the Newcastle takeover from sources at the Bin Zayed Group.
And it will be quite worrying for Newcastle fans.
Jacobs claims that they do not expect a takeover to be done before Rafa Benitez’s contract expires on June 30.
He goes on to say that means it would be down to Mike Ashley to secure his signature.
Jacobs also said that Benitez would be the preferred choice of the group but that they are buying a club not deciding on a manager at this point. He said that they accept Benitez might be gone before they take over.
#NUFC takeover update. Bin Zayed Group sources say they don’t expect a takeover to be complete before Benitez’s contact expires on June 30. Will be on Mike Ashley (and the impending lure of a possible new owner. If that happens) to persuade him to stay.
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) May 28, 2019
Notion Sheikh Nehayan wants Benitez to stay as a priority is also solely based on a respect for him from his Liverpool and Real Madrid days and a meeting just before he joined Chelsea. But Wenger, with links to the UAE, and Mourinho are also out of work…
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) May 28, 2019
Point is Bin Zayed Group are making it clear their priority is to acquire the club not decide on a manager. They see no reason to replace Benitez, but also accept he may go before they arrive #NUFC
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) May 28, 2019
OPINION
This is slightly concerning for Newcastle fans. The news yesterday was that the Bin Zayed Group wanted to complete the takeover as quickly as possible. Now they’re saying it might not be done until July, which wouldn’t leave a whole lot of time for summer transfers. There is so much contradictory information coming out at the moment it’s hard to know quite what’s going on. And, with takeovers, that’s not normally how it happens for professional deals. One interesting aspect to the story is the mention of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho as potential new managers for Newcastle if Benitez decided to move away. We’re not sure how the Newcastle fans would feel about that – maybe Wenger would be a more attractive option than Mourinho – but we know they would much prefer Benitez to preside over the next stage of their evolution. If Jacobs’ sources are correct, though, it means at least another month of uncertainty for Newcastle fans who had started to dream this takeover could be the one.