Ashley warned he would struggle to sell Newcastle

Newcastle United have dismissed suggestions that Mike Ashley recently attempted to sell the club to a New York finance company for £420m as "absolute nonsense", although reports yesterday said it was understood informal discussions had taken place. It was said that, operating through a third party, Ashley held discussions with InterMedia Partners, an American private equity firm, but that after studying Newcastle's books and hearing the Sports Direct owner's asking price, its interest died. Last season there were persistent stories that Ashley was endeavouring, again through a third party, to interest Dubai International Capital in buying Newcastle. Interested solely in purchasing Liverpool, DIC declined repeated overtures and there have been unconfirmed suggestions that Ashley, who bought the Tyneside club just over a year... [read full story]