Newcastle United

Newcastle United: Mark Douglas discusses transfers and the takeover

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Newcastle United journalist Mark Douglas has provided an update on the club’s plans for the transfer market and what effect the takeover might have.

It’s coming up to a year now since the talks between current owner Mike Ashley and the potential new investors from Saudi Arabia were called off, with the latter reportedly growing impatient over how long the deal was taking.

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Ever since then, Newcastle United have been in a state of flux, with the two sides still in the process of making the deal happen at some point in the near future. But the lack of clarity on the situation is set to have an effect on how the club deals with the upcoming transfer window.

A claim from journalist Alan Nixon suggested that Ashley will only allow Steve Bruce £50m to spend this summer, but speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast, Douglas claimed that he didn’t think the club will have a clear idea of what the transfer budget will be until there is some clarity over which way the takeover proposal will go:

“Bit surprised to read about the budget being £50m, I don’t think those big decisions will be made until Newcastle have a clearer picture of arbitration and where they are with the takeover.

“I think it could be that those decisions are, once again, delayed a little bit. I mean, we’re probably only a couple of weeks away from arbitration potentially starting.

“So we might know a little bit more towards the end of that period about where Newcastle stand. I think in the meantime, it’s unlikely that any of the signings that Newcastle want to make will be completed before then.”

TIF Thoughts on Mark Douglas’ comments about Newcastle United and the takeover…

Do you think the takeover will go ahead?

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This is really worrying news for Newcastle United, because the longer that the takeover decision gets dragged out, the more likely it will be that players will slip through their fingers either due to a lack of funds or by waiting for those funds to come, and even if they do it could be too late.

And if Newcastle really want to improve next season rather than spending part of another season in a relegation battle, then they do need to spend money on players that will improve the squad. But if Douglas’ comments are anything to go by, they may not get that opportunity this summer.

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Freelance sports journalist & broadcaster.