As Newcastle United continue their slide down the Premier League table, Mike Ashley has clearly become worried about the strength of the brand and just how much he will need to shave off of his asking price to sell the club if the Magpies don’t stay up this season.
Steve Bruce has overseen a terrible run of form which shows no sign of ending, and to that end, Ashley has apparently approached former manager, Rafael Benitez, and begged him to help get the club out of the hole they currently find themselves in.
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“It’s our information that Mike Ashley, the current owner, has been in touch with former head coach Rafa Benitez, who has been managing in the Chinese Super League but is back in situ in England,” Ian McGarry said on the Transfer Window Podcast, cited by the Daily Star.
“He asked Benitez if he would be willing to return to St James Park and guide them to safety.”
Although Benitez is available at present, having left Chinese side, Dalian, it’s a stretch to believe that he will want to involve himself with Ashley again after walking away the last time.
However, if the money is right and the Spaniard is given certain guarantees, the rescue mission just might be on.
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Listen, Ashley begs no one. This is all his doing, years and years of penny pinching and gambling with the outcome of underinvestment is about to come crashing down around his and regrettably our ears. It seems he’s even willing to gamble over 300 million on the possible sale of the club rather than admit he’s handled the club wrongly and massively underinvested in players.
The infrastructure is knackered. The squad is hopeless and it makes your eyes bleed just watching them attempt to play football. We are in deep deep trouble this time.