Fans Fed Yet More Takeover Rumours; Wealthy Asian Businessman Denies United Link

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), August 4, 2008

Byline: By ALAN OLIVER and ROB PATTINSON

A SUPER-RICH Asian businessman has rubbished reports linking him to a takeover at Newcastle United.

Toon fans were left scratching their heads today over reports of a pounds 260m bid for the club from Indian telecommunications billionaire Anil Ambani - the sixth richest man in the world.

Now Ambani's mobile phone company, which was claimed to be leading the bid, has denied being in talks with the club.

"The news report is completely false and baseless. There are no such plans," Reliance Communications said in a statement.

National newspaper reports had linked current owner Mike Ashley with offers from Mr Ambani and a Singapore-based global investment company, the Profitable Group.

Both were said to be offering pounds 260m to install themselves at St James's Park, although shared ownership was not considered an option.

Recent takeover talks have continued to be privately dismissed by the club, although no official statement was issued in response to this morning's reports.

However, it is only a month since United's new managing director Derek Llambias told the Chronicle: "At a time when everyone at Newcastle United is working hard to prepare for the new season ahead, it is annoying that we have to correct inaccurate stories. Whoever is putting these stories around is clearly trying to destabilise the club."

Mr Ambani, with a personal fortune of pounds 21bn, was reported to be interested in staking a claim in English football. Newcastle's dedicated fanbase was said to have made the club an attractive investment opportunity. Sources reported he was ready to fire the team to the top of the Premier League with a cash injection of up to pounds 150m.

Sports brand mogul Mr Ashley has said he did not want to sell the club, but would be interested in bringing in other investors to help him take Newcastle back to the top echelons of European football.

Reports of the alleged takeover talks clashed with the current owners excitement for the new season as he joined the team on tour in Spain.

Mr Ashley said: "I'm loving it. I'm excited by the new season, of course I am. I'm really looking forward to it.

"I'm excited by Kevin Keegan, seeing the team play, all of it. I think we're going to have a bit of fun."

Ambani was also said to be looking very carefully at the situation at Leeds United.

Up to five other English clubs have already been in touch with the Asian investor voicing their interest in being taken over.

Profitable Group, which includes former Liverpool and England star Steve McMahon as a director, also ruled themselves out of any takeover interest.

The group, which was alleged to have offered a similar bid to Ambani, has also reportedly denied being in talks with the club.

Mr Ambani's Reliance Communication (RCom) is the largest supplier of mobile phones on the subcontinent.

Also 2006 businessman of the year, he is married to former Bollywood actress Tina Munim.

CAPTION(S):

EXCITED FOR NEW SEASON Mike Ashey after yet more takeover rumours