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Financier Amanda Staveley spoke to Premier League side Newcastle United officials after the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday and the two parties "expressed a willingness to talk further," according to George Caulkin of the LONDON TIMES. Staveley, whose PCP Capital Partners firm is said to control a £28B ($37B) fund of mainly Middle Eastern wealth, has a reported "interest in buying a Premier League club" and attended the game at St. James’ Park as an "interested spectator after a campaign by Newcastle supporters to woo her into bidding for their club," which Owner Mike Ashley has made available for sale. Staveley has "twice been involved in bids" for Liverpool and played a role in the takeover of Man City by Sheikh Mansour in '08. She was present in the directors’ box on Sunday. Although Ashley was not there, Staveley was introduced to Justin Barnes, a close associate of the Ashley who has been "charged with securing investment in the club," Managing Dir Lee Charnley and Ashley's PR rep, Keith Bishop (
LONDON TIMES, 10/4). In Dubai, Frank Kane reported a source close to Staveley said that her interest in Newcastle "was at an early stage," and there had been no talks yet with Ashley. The source added that she was "still interested in other clubs in the EPL." But it was "also indicated that a deal could be done relatively quickly, if serious talks got underway, possibly by the end of the year." Any discussions between Staveley and Ashley are "likely to focus on price." Ashley is said to have spent £300M on the club in the 10 years he has owned it, "so any deal would probably have to start at that price." Staveley said in June that she saw English football as an "attractive investment" (
ARAB NEWS, 10/4).
