Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has rubbished reports that his father, Barry Hearn, had worked as a middleman in Newcastle’s takeover negotiations, talking to the Shields Gazette.
Mail Online reported over the weekend that Hearn, who previously owned Leyton Orient, had introduced Amanda Staveley to the representatives of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Anthony Joshua’s recent title fight against Andy Ruiz Jnr.
Essentially, the report indicates that by putting the two parties together, Hearn helped the Staveley fronted takeover bid of the Magpies, backed by the Saudis.
However, Hearn Jnr. has spoken to the Gazette to dismiss the reports, claiming they are “rubbish”. Hearn said:
It is absolute rubbish.
He (Barry) said to me last night, you might get asked about Newcastle and me helping the takeover of the football club.
I asked him where it had come from and he said ‘no idea’. Whether someone has used our name, ‘we are talking to the Saudis, oh Barry Hearn, Eddie Hearn’ – I don’t know.
We love Newcastle United Football Club, but we ain’t buying it. We are not involved in buying it, so sorry for the person who was driving the price up. We are not in the running.
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More importantly than Hearn’s involvement in the takeover discussions, The Gazette confirm that negotiations are still ongoing between PIF and Newcastle, although talks are apparently not very advanced.
It seems as though talks are moving along, even if they seem to be doing so at a snail’s pace, and that can only be positive for some disgruntled Magpies fans who are keen for Mike Ashley to sell.
It is important not to get too carried away just yet though, as the club have suffered false dawns in the past, with investors or interest parties pulling out late and letting a deal collapse.
Still, with bated breath, some fans are still desperately hoping to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and we’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out.
