Newcastle United still haven’t got a new owner.
We could have written a more eloquent introduction here but, let’s be honest, if you’re a Newcastle fan, that’s what you really care about at this point.
Mike Ashley’s reign has been going on for far too long and one has to assume that whoever comes into the club as owners will be the toast of the Toon for some time to come.
However, the Saudi Arabia-backed consortium fronted by Amanda Staveley has yet to receive ratification from the Premier League.
With football coming back this week, though, let’s take a look at the very best of the headlines surrounding the Magpies.
Take a look below!
Newcastle enquire about £35m-rated Benfica midfielder
Newcastle have asked about the possibility of signing Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis, per The Daily Mail.
The club are not able to negotiate transfers at this point, given the ongoing takeover saga, but they have made their interest known in a number of players.
Luis is one of those, and while the midfielder is also wanted by AC Milan, he has been scouted by Manchester City, Manchester United, and Bayer Leverkusen.
The Benfica star is valued at £35m, per the report, and Milan are hopeful of signing him on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy.
The 20-year-old is a Portugal U21 international and has made a first-team breakthrough in the last two seasons; in total, he has won 29 appearances in a defensive midfield position.
Government gives backing to takeover
According to a report in The Guardian, the British government have made encouraging noises towards the club’s prospective takeover.
Of course, Saudi Arabia have a patchy human rights record, to put it mildly, and that has left many on Tyneside concerned about the impact of such a handover.
However, the report states that the government has spoken with human rights groups, pointing out that they ought to be optimistic about the possibility of the country taking steps towards modernity.
Indeed, they believe that social reform is a key factor and that could well help the Public Investment Fund get this deal over the line.
Newcastle fans have certainly waited long enough.
Carroll’s new deal
Andy Carroll is set to accept a pay-as-you-play deal to stay at Newcastle, per The Northern Echo.
The striker will become a free agent on June 30 if he doesn’t agree a short-term deal with the Magpies that will allow him to finish the season.
Carroll currently earns a low weekly wage that is then topped up if he plays, and he is set to sign another such deal in order to remain on Tyneside.
Indeed, the report states that the Magpies could well offer him another 12-month deal in order to beef up their squad for the 2020/21 season.