Newcastle United Fan View: More transfer window disappointment

Following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against Manchester City, Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez said he had been given “the green light” to sign players this transfer window (9 days left – thanks Mike) but have we heard this lie from Mike Ashley before?

Ashley lies a lot; we all know that and even the courts have found him guilty of it. I ended my last blog with a rather tongue in cheek remark that all this takeover business – Ashley putting the club up for sale – could just been Ashley’s latest attempt at not spending any money in the transfer window. We’re now 21 days in and have signed no one – perhaps my theory isn’t as far-fetched as I initially thought.

This week can be chalked off as yet another dreadful one under Ashley’s reign as club owner with more events happening off the field than on; wouldn’t it be nice to just get back to simply enjoying the football? From a personal point of view it would be great to start to write about football matters and believe me, there will be a big celebration in my household when I am able to write a blog and not mention Ashley once!

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We began the week with a statement from the man himself (via his Sky Sports News mouthpiece) stating the deal was off. He stated that dealing with Staveley and PCP Partners had been exhausting, frustrating and a complete waste of time. The irony of this is incredible given that 100% of Newcastle fans would struggle to find a better line to summarise this man’s ownership of the club for over a decade.

The week ended with varying interviews and statements from Staveley and PCP Partners. George Caulkin from The Times (fast becoming the go to person for any genuine Newcastle United information) landed an interview with Staveley which said the opposite to what Ashley said; bids had been made and there was a bid on the table. However, it does appear that if Staveley genuinely wants to buy the club, an improved 4th offer needs to be tabled.

In all of Staveley’s bids, the one constant is that Rafa Benitez would have to be in charge of the team and a later statement put out by PCP Partners claimed they would rethink their offer should Benitez no longer be at the club. Without a doubt, Benitez is the best thing to have happened to the club during Ashley’s reign and we are finally (almost) heading in the right direction. With a bit of investment in the January transfer window I am confident Benitez will turn our fortunes around and we will survive this season; achieving this season’s goal. But will this investment come?

I have to try to remain consistent with what I said back in October when the takeover talk began. I said if Ashley was still the owner of the club in January and, despite promises of investment should this scenario happen, I genuinely do not think he will spend a penny this month. Ashley is all about the money and the proof in the pudding is looking at the bids he has turned down this month. There was a £250m cash up front, no clauses offer and £300m and £350m offers with clauses and various payment stages. £100m difference between the 3 bids and all were rejected, so does anyone seriously believe he his going to sanction transfers of any significance? Apparently, we have made bids totalling £25m for players this week and we are now being tipped to break our transfer record on a striker. Really? I don’t believe we will sign anyone this window. Anyone at all.

However, if I am wrong and money is spent, Ashley will want this back in the sale of the club, making any further negotiations all the more difficult. I genuinely, really and truly, hope I am proved wrong but this is Mike Ashley we are talking about. He plays games, he gambles, he messes with the fans. He lie regularly and he is a snide business man who does not care one bit about the club. He wants to sell but he will not take a penny less than he wants. Amanda Staveley did weeks of due diligence and has made an offer that is sensible and fair to buy the club. Mike Ashley bought the club without doing a minutes worth of due diligence. This is what we are dealing with here, it is professional v amateur, Bill Gates v Del Boy. It is farcical really.