A "prominent financier with historic ties to the Royal Family" and £28B ($37.2B) of foreign sovereign wealth under her management was spotted at Newcastle's St. James' Park on Sunday, prompting suggestions she "could be masterminding a takeover," according to Sam Morshead of the London DAILY MAIL. Amanda Staveley, a former girlfriend of Prince Andrew, controls the assets through her business, PCP Capital Partners, and is "known to be interested in acquiring a Premier League club." She was in attendance for the Liverpool match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and sat alongside Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall. Staveley, 44, "has the funds to buy any of the 20 teams in the English top flight," while Newcastle has been linked with a takeover in recent months (
DAILY MAIL, 10/2). In London, George Caulkin wrote Newcastle is for sale, "there is no doubt about that." More than once, club Owner Mike Ashley has officially placed the club on the market and, more than once, the asking price or the "febrility long associated with his ownership" has "conspired against a successful resolution." There was "more than a hint of wishful thinking to suggestions this summer that Chinese investors were looking at Newcastle, but several interested parties are now understood to have
signed non-disclosure agreements with the club." That means "they are talking." Staveley is not at that stage. Not "even close." There have been no direct discussions between her and Ashley and no formal communication between her and the club but the financier has a "pedigree in football," playing a role in the takeover of Man City by Sheikh Mansour and, in early '08, attempting to buy Liverpool for Dubai Int'l Capital, when Newcastle Manager Rafael Benítez was at Anfield (
LONDON TIMES, 10/2).
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS: Also in London, Martin Hardy wrote the "devil, as always here, lies in the detail, or rather the lack of it." Staveley spent time with Kenny Dalglish, the former Newcastle and Liverpool manager, at the game. Nobody, however, "in officialdom at the club knew she was planning to attend." Ashley was "not even at the game." There has been "no contact at all," it was revealed. Ashley's preferred agreement would reportedly be a "part sale of the club, a share of ownership and responsibility, as with many of his investments" (INDEPENDENT, 10/2). In Newcastle, Chris Knight reported dubbed by financial website This is Money as Britain's "most glamorous financier," Staveley is "renowned for her connection with wealthy Middle East investors." She now "splits her time between homes in Dubai and London." Ashley said this summer, "If somebody would like to come along and take this seat and fund Newcastle with a nought on the end with their wealth more than me, I will not stand in Newcastle United's way. ... I don't think you'll find there's many people out there who will actually stand up and do it" (CHRONICLE LIVE, 10/2).
