We hear today ... Mike Ashley is prepared to take Newcastle United off the market and offer David O’Leary the manager’s job unless Barry Moat deposits the money for his bid into a specified bank account by the end of the week.
Although Moat’s consortium has already provided proof of funds, it is understood Ashley is not convinced they are actually willing to spend the money they are talking about offering.
That sum is less than his £100m asking price, but appears to be enough – with some minor haggling over clauses – for Ashley to sell up as long as he knows for certain they can afford to spend it.
If that does not happen, O’Leary is Ashley’s first choice to become manager.
Has he been offered him the job?
Llambias insists "NO!" ... but sources from Ireland claim he was offered the job when Joe Kinnear was ruled out because of medical grounds.
Sources have also confirmed that Ashley had Kinnear as his NUMBER ONE choice as manager, but was forced to look elsewhere as the former interim boss is still unable to return to work because of the heart problems which forced him out of St James’s Park in February.
So what of Alan Shearer?
The bizarre situation is that Ashley has offered TWO managers the job with contracts of TWO YEARS ... knowing that when he pulls the plug the new owner is going to have to pay up the two year contract if they want Shearer.
Now that smacks of a vendetta against the club and the fans!
Shearer is back with his family on holiday in Portugal after a brief return to England to cover Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.