Mike Ashley has a year to sell NUFC - THREE key reasons why it's now or never...

by Simon Riddlesden · 15 August 2018, 12:23

After another summer of frustration, you get the feeling the next 12 months are the best chance Newcastle fans have of driving owner Mike Ashley out and him finally selling the club.

He has 'tried' to sell NUFC many times before, but whether this was a PR stunt, the asking price was too high or buyer interest wasn't genuine, the popularity of current manager Rafa Benitez is forcing the situation to finally coming to a head.

With a world class manager in place, Ashley can invest as little as possible and get away with it - but with Rafa clearly unhappy and all set to leave next summer unless he signs a new deal, he can't rely on that much longer.

Here's why it really does feel like now or never when it comes to a potential sale over the next 12 months..

1 - Rafa leaving would mean a HUGE asset lost

It would be incredibly hard, if not impossible to replace a manager of that calibre for a side without European football like Newcastle - especially given the way he's been treat by Ashley during his tenure.

With the current lack of investment and constraints; hand them to most other managers and it would put us at MAJOR risk of relegation.

Not only that, potential buyers would see us as a far less attractive project without Rafa, making a sale even less likely without him (Staveley was clearly VERY attracted to the idea of Benitez being in charge). F

Fans don't see Rafa as an asset on the balance sheet, he is a beacon for hope. But potential buyers will see him as this way, so while he is here, buyers will be interested. Without him, a sale becomes even more unlikely in my eyes.

2 - Investment would be even more ESSENTIAL next summer without Rafa

Rafa is the main reason we've kept afloat. BUT, who would want to sign without him? And who would want to stay? It'd be a huge mess and he'd need to step in to stop us from relegation - but does he really want to do that again?

Rafa said himself he wants to be at a club challenging and is . not happy with just staying up each year. The irony is having a brilliant manager can mean less investment is needed in transfers (you can utilise their contacts, they can coach and improve players etc) but Ashley has saw that as a chance to make a profit - another mistake during his tenure as owner.

Even Ashley must know it would cost far more to back a new man and repair the damage?