Monday announcement at Newcastle

Newcastle will make an announcement on Monday over ongoing efforts to sell the club.

Owner Mike Ashley was expected to make a decision by the end of this week over whether or not to accept one of the bids currently on the table, or to continue running the Magpies himself for another season.

However, talks with local businessman Barry Moat, as well as two other consortia, are continuing as Ashley looks to strike a £100m (€115.5m) deal for the club he bought for £134.4m (€155m) a little more than two years ago.

The longer things go without a conclusion being reached, the more likely it appears that the current regime will stay in place with the transfer deadline fast approaching and the Magpies’ squad threadbare in the wake of 10 departures and just one arrival.

However, although time is running down, the possibility of a new owner taking over remains alive, for now at least.