OPINION
With every passing day, it feels as if the heady rush that accompanied the initial reports that the Bin Zayed Group were trying to buyout Newcastle United are more and more dreamlike.
From the assertion that a deal was in the offing, progress has slowed dramatically, and it now seems as if things are happening in slow motion.
In fairness, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The reality of a takeover is that they can be long and arduous processes.
But given the breakneck speed with which everything seemed to be happening at first, you can understand why supporters might be growing in frustration.
There is, however, perhaps the slightest modicum of hope to be taken from the most recent development in the saga.
As reported by the Chronicle, Sheikh Khaled has supposedly set up a company called Monochrome Acquisitions LTD that could be used to purchase the Toon Army.
Aside from having a pretty clever name, the signs are that it could be significant piece of progress for the deal.
Even the relatively vague update from journalist Lee Ryder has enough in it to give some hope.
Speaking in a video for the Chronicle, he said: “It’s still very much early days, and caution has to be played down because Newcastle United are still yet to see a penny in terms of a real bid.
“We’ve approached them this afternoon and it was a straight ‘no comment’, but certainly no denial that these talks are very much ongoing and the group in the Middle East are still trying to make this takeover a reality.”
As expected, the Magpies are not going all in when it comes to talking to the media, but the fact that they are still not denying anything would suggest that there is enough truth in the circulated reports to mean that something is happening.
Couple that with this new company set up by the Sheikh, and suddenly it feels as if they wheels might start turning a little quicker again.