Ashley names asking price to get out of Toon

NEWCASTLE owner Mike Ashley yesterday confirmed he has put the club up for sale for £100 million (€115m).

More than a week after it emerged that Ashley was looking to get out for the second time since he took control, the Magpies issued an official statement setting a price as Keith Harris, chairman of investment bankers Seymour Pierce, continued his search for buyers.

The statement read: “The board of Newcastle United can today confirm that the club is for sale at the price of £100 million (€115m).

“Interested parties should contact Newcastle United at [e-mail] (or Keith Harris at Seymour Pierce) for further details.

“The club will not be making any further comment at the present time.”

The announcement came as no surprise, with Ashley’s desperation to offload the club he bought for £134.4m (€155m) in May 2007 growing by the day.

There are understood to be several interested parties, with Harris having travelled to the Middle East last week to once again court offers from potential purchasers in Dubai and Oman.

However, there is interest closer to home and former chairman Freddy Shepherd, who has been linked with a bid to regain control, has steadfastly refused to rule himself in or out.

But as each day passes, the time any manager would have to reshape the squad for a very different challenge decreases.

Meanwhile West Ham’s new owners have admitted they will consider offers for the club despite having only just secured a takeover.

CB Holding, an Icelandic holding company made up of banks owed money by the Hammers’ previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, have a two-year plan for the club as they do not believe current market conditions are favourable for a sale.

However, should any potential buyer come forward – and an American investor who has already had one £70m (€80.7m) offer turned down is still interested – then they would be prepared to sell.

Georg Andersen, head of corporate communications at the investment bank Straumur which owns 70% of CB Holdings, said: “Every club is for sale at the right price but we honestly believe that with the market as it is right now it will be extremely difficult to find the right value.

“I’m not going to pretend we are going to own the club forever.”

The new regime have assured Zola and his assistant Steve Clarke that their jobs are safe and that some funds will be made available for transfers.