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So who's going to buy the club?

Dave

by Dave
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BottledDog

BottledDog

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South Africans to offer Keegan a stake in the club?

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/10/01/keegan-to-be-offered-newcastle-united-stake-72703-21938909/

 

KEVIN Keegan will be offered a stake in Newcastle United worth millions if he returns as manager, the Chronicle understands.

 

A consortium of British-based South Africans are lining up a bid for the club, which is thought to be in line with Mike Ashley’s revised £280-300m asking price.

 

It was revealed yesterday that Ashley is willing to accept a reduced amount and a Nigerian group, headed by entertainment mogul Chris Nathaniel, claim to have already lodged a £200m offer on Friday.

 

The rival South African consortium are keeping their identities under wraps until they have studied the club’s books and reached an agreement with the retail billionaire, but some sources claim they have tabled a £280m bid.

 

Keegan is thought to be central to their plans for the Magpies and the five-strong group of tycoons are prepared to offer him between 5-10% of the club’s shares if he agrees to come back.

 

Speculation has been growing about who is involved in the consortium, which has called itself the New Newcastle United.

 

Businessman Brian Joffe, 61, is rumoured to be part of the group.

 

He founded investment holding firm Bidvest and is chief executive of South African football team Bidvest Wit.

 

He has a reputation for buying failing companies and turning their fortunes around, which tallies with the way the consortium interested in United are said to have amassed their wealth.

 

The father-of-two, who was born in Johannesburg, was not in his office when the Chronicle tried to contact him.

 

Bidvest’s financial controller David Cleasby said: “I can’t talk for Mr Joffe and that is all I can say.”

 

The South African consortium are reportedly set to handover a £150m down-payment for United, before settling the balance over the following 12 months.

 

They are understood to have contacted Keegan on Friday and believe they can coax Alan Shearer into taking up a role.

 

In a bid to tie Keegan to the club beyond the short term, it is thought they are prepared to offer him a stake.

 

Based on the reduced asking price for the Magpies, that would place the value of the shares offered to him at more than £10m.

 

Since news broke about the consortium’s interest in the club, speculation has been rife in the South African media as to who the key players are.

 

One man strongly linked to the deal is billionaire Johann Rupert. He is the man behind Swiss-based luxury goods firm Richemont, which owns brands including Cartier and Dunhill.

 

The 58-year-old is said to be worth £3.8 billion and has already ploughed around £8m into English rugby team Saracens. Mr Rupert was linked with a takeover of Blackburn Rovers last year, but moved quickly to deny the rumours.

 

When contacted by the Chronicle, a spokesman said neither Richemont nor Mr Rupert were interested in buying Newcastle United.

 

Similar rumours surround multi-millionaire Vivian Imerman, a fellow South African.

 

Mr Imerman, 53, was an owner of Del Monte before buying into Scottish whisky firm Whyte and Mackay, which he sold for £595m last year.

 

He runs investment firm Vasari Global Ltd in London with fellow South African Gerald Katzeff, 61.

 

Mr Imerman is married to Lisa Tchenguiz, 43, sister of Robert Tchenguiz, who was a co-owner of Whyte and Mackay with him.

 

Mr Imerman also denied being involved in a takeover of Newcastle United when contacted by the Chronicle.

 

Despite the denials, city sources continue to link the businessmen with the South African consortium looking to buy the club

 

 

 

 

So it was all a Keegan conspiracy to make millions then. Blimey.  :cheesy:

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Thespence

Thespence

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Key to Cleland's vision of transforming the club will be the appointment at youth level of Simon Clifford, whose Brazilian Soccer Schools have more than two million members.

 

'We will invest in youth to build a club,' said Cleland. 'Simon Clifford is an integral part of our consortium. Players like Micah Richards have come through his system.'

 

Simon didnt last long with old skool Arry. But I would like to see his methods used over a longer period of time.

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johnnypd

johnnypd

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from a quick search on google that might be wrong:

 

Rupert is worth £2billion

Immerman is worth £500m to £1billion

the rest are around Shepherd or Hall's level of wealth, thought Joffe might be investing for his conglomerate bidvest which has a turnover of £3billion a year.

 

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lovejoy

lovejoy

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Lets hope they don't make the mistake Ashley did and appoint a manager with little interest in developing youth players if that is the way they want to move the club forward.

 

your right, appoint roeder again, he loved to do it.

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Guest SpinTheBlackCircle

Guest SpinTheBlackCircle

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Lets hope they don't make the mistake Ashley did and appoint a manager with little interest in developing youth players if that is the way they want to move the club forward.

 

your right, appoint Dalglish again, he loved to do it.

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Baggio

Baggio

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Lets hope they don't make the mistake Ashley did and appoint a manager with little interest in developing youth players if that is the way they want to move the club forward.

 

your right, appoint roeder again, he loved to do it.

 

lol

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captainhaircut

captainhaircut

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Surely the point of bringing in Clifford would be for him to develop the youngsters?

 

And then when they're ready KK, or any other manager, would pick them?

 

The manager wouldn't have to concern himself with the youth side. Wenger by all accounts lets Brady get on with it in the academy and then steals them when they're ready. KK might not be interested in playing a load of kids to the detriment of results, but he wouldn't be stupid enough to turn his nose up at youngsters ready to offer something.

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Teasy

Teasy

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Lets hope they don't make the mistake Ashley did and appoint a manager with little interest in developing youth players if that is the way they want to move the club forward.

 

Yeah, that was Ashley's mistake :lol:

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toontownman

toontownman

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South Africans look good. But who knows, bringing in Clifford would be a fantastic start, would be harsh on Money and Joyce, maybe both will have a place in the new system both have alot of experience and quality to add if the roles are right.

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Baggio

Baggio

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Lets hope they don't make the mistake Ashley did and appoint a manager with little interest in developing youth players if that is the way they want to move the club forward.

 

Yeah, that was Ashley's mistake :lol:

 

I didn't say it was the only mistake he made but bringing in a manager like keegan who has never been someone to take much interest in youth players when your strategy for the club is just that was a mistake.

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LooneyToonArmy

LooneyToonArmy

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South African group in pole position to get Newcastle

 

Jewellery billionare Johann Rupert changes mind on owning British club

 

Those hoping for clarity at Newcastle United thought they found some yesterday. It is 18 days since Mike Ashley put the club up for sale and there have been almost as many theoretical buyers in that period, but that is because there are several credible interested parties and some names were put on the South African consortium yesterday.

 

It appears to be ahead of others in rivalling unknown groups in China and America in completing a purchase that Ashley hopes could be done within six weeks.

 

In sporting terms, and perhaps economically, Johann Rupert is the most significant figure to have emerged. Rupert has been described as South Africa's richest man. Two other names that have surfaced are Brian Joffe and Vivian Imerman. It was claimed yesterday that a bid of £280m has been lodged already by the collective and that their first aim would be to restore Kevin Keegan to his post as manager and offer him a share in the club, much as the five percent shareholding Peter Reid had at Sunderland.

 

But Keegan, just returned from a break in America, has not yet received even third party contact from this group, whereas it is understood the Nigerian consortium fronted by Chris Nathaniel have been in touch with Keegan and those close to him. Partly due to the noise they have created, the Nigerians are not being treated as seriously as the South Africans. If Rupert is a key player, then that would explain why.

 

A 58-year-old billionaire based in Stellenbosch, Rupert has made his fortune from jewellery and telecommunications among other things. He was linked to a possible £50m purchase of Blackburn Rovers last June but rejected any connection emphatically, saying at the time: "You can never, ever show a return on a football/soccer team in the UK."

 

However, that was in regard to being a sole purchaser whereas the mooted South African consortium offers shared financial responsibility. Rupert is known in British sport via his background ownership of rugby club Saracens – in March one of his companies, VenFin, purchased a stake in the holding company that owns Saracens, Premier Team Holdings – and also because four years ago he and other South African businessmen and rugby players proposed the creation of a new club that would represent South Africans in London.

 

The Rugby Football Union were unwilling to allow the "London Tribe" immediate access to the top divisions of English rugby and so the idea withered. A spokesman for Saracens said he was unaware of which or any games Rupert has attended at Vicarage Road, where Saracens share Watford's ground.

 

One of Saracens' players is Michael Owen and at Newcastle it would be the same. Newcastle Owen's contract is sure to be different though, and is in need of extending or he will leave for nothing next summer.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/south-african-group-in-pole-position-to-get-newcastle-948465.html

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Newcastle Fan

Newcastle Fan

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A Bahraini invesment group..

 

Is intrested in buying a UK bank for 2bn..

 

If only they could divert their attention to the north east, i spoke to the guy who was behind Gulf Air sponsring QPR the other day, he said that no one in this area will be intrested in buying the club at this price.

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Skirge

Skirge

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The South African consortium bidding to take control of Newcastle believe they are the front-runners to succeed Mike Ashley. (Daily Mail)

 

Former boss Kevin Keegan has met three consortiums bidding for control of the St James' Park club for talks about a comeback. (The Sun)

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