Premier League Club Newcastle Edge Closer To £300m Takeover By Business Woman

Newcastle chief Mike Ashley is reportedly on the verge of agreeing a £300million takeover with businesswoman Amanda Staveley.

Newcastle owner Ashley has divided fans during his time at St James' Park, with the club being relegated twice during his tenure.

But the Ashley era appears close to an end with Newcastle on the cusp of being taken over.

The Newcastle chief put them up for sale in October and expressed a desire to get any deal done before the January transfer window opens.

And it appears a Toon takeover is close with Ashley and Staveley on the verge of agreeing a £300million package, say the Daily Mail.

Ashley will supposedly fund January spending with the club linked with moves for the likes of Luke Shaw and Ross Barkley.

Staveley will then refund him after the transfer window once the takeover is formally completed.

The Daily Mail report both parties met last week in order to thrash out an agreement.

Should the deal go through before January then Toon boss Rafa Benitez could have £30m to spend on new players.

As touched on above, Shaw and Barkley are among their targets.

Manchester United defender Shaw is likely to be sold having failed to earn the trust of Jose Mourinho.

The Red Devils are also lining up Tottenham's Danny Rose as a replacement.

Barkley, meanwhile, was desperate to leave Everton in the summer.

He looked at one point destined to sign for Chelsea but pulled out of a transfer halfway through his medical.

Newcastle, though, could swoop with an exciting new era looming large on Tyneside.