Sell Up Or Buy Big, Ashley

Toon fans tell owner to find a new buyer soon or give Bruce reinforcements in the next two windows

- Simon Bird

Mike Ashley has been told to find a new buyer for Newcastle – or back Steve Bruce in the transfer market this summer.

A £305million deal to sell to Saudi Arabia’s investment fund has stalled again until “early 2022” after a Premier League arbitration case was postponed, lengthening the ownership limbo to almost two years.

Magpies owner Ashley thought he’d be rid of the club by September.

But he will now have to work through two transfer windows with manager Bruce in charge and keen to add new recruits.

The Saudis were first revealed as interested in Newcastle in January 2020, went public with the deal in April last year, and have still not been able to resolve the issues around receiving Premier League approval.