Source: Daily_Mail
Textiles tycoon plans £150m bid for Newcastle - with £30m transfer kitty
Mystery surrounded claims a North East businessman is ready to launch a £150million takeover for Newcastle United.
A press release issued on behalf of a Rick Parkinson early todayannounced he has put together a five-man consortium which is ready tooffer Mike Ashley £90million for the club, £10million below his askingprice.
In addition, Parkinson and his backers say they would put £30m into restructuring the business and install Alan Shearer as manager with a £30m war-chest.
They are yet to contact Seymour Pierce, the investment bankershandling the sale, although they claim they will be ready to do sowithin the next 10 days.
However, neitherthe club nor well-placed sources in the city are aware of Parkinson and hisconsortium.
Seymour Pierce chairman Keith Harris is understood to have openedtalks with up to four different prospective purchasers, the latest ofthem the Singapore-based Profitable Group, which confirmed its interestearlier this week.
But other interested parties are thought to have made greaterprogress as Ashley attempts to end his stay on Tyneside as soon aspossible.
Former chairman Freddy Shepherd has been linked with another consortium.
