True, but this man is worth north of 100 billion. Throwing 500 or 600 million at Newcastle and the playing staff is pocket change.


I think this one's legit, and I suspect will go through, unless Ashley scuppers it at the last moment with a money grab.


"So sorry Shiekh old bean, but it seems an additional 100 million will be necessary to move my stuff out. Costs are rising don't you know and it's not going to move itself out."


And not only would this takeover inject cash in to the transfer kitty, I imagine there would be a bit of a pipeline for loans from City.


Heady times indeed eh?

I'll believe it IF and when it happens.

Sensible approach, that.

Any predictions for today's final?


Wouldn't mind seeing both teams lose, but that's really rare.


So, assuming there will be a winner, I am taking Arsenal 3-2.



If the Gunners do win it, that will be a huge help to their recruiting efforts. Chelsea have already qualified for the CL of course.


The real shame of this is that the final is in Baku. Madness. Who in UEFA pocketed the oil money to agree to this farce?



I heard Cech may get the start in goal.

I'll go for a 4-1 win for Chelsea.














:O:

Wow, you're good at this.


Congrats to Chelsea. I haven't seen the match, but from what I've read the Gunners didn't show up, and Hazard did. If Hazard is on his game, and Aubemeyang isn't, the outcome seems obvious.


A fitting end to a stellar Chelsea career for Hazard. In this day and age of petulant, spoiled footballers, he stands out as measured, thoughtful, loyal and humble. And one of the best players in world football. It's hard not to like this guy.



This assumes he is sold to Real Madrid, but all indications are it's essentially a done deal at this point.

Well done to England ladies on reaching the knockout stages of the womens world cup...

Scotland :)

:haha::haha::haha:

I know the subject matter isn't exactly about British football but this hardly surprises me.

It has now been announced RAFA will leave the TOON next Sunday. There will now probably follow an exodus of disgruntled players.

Shame on you Ashley!!

No surprise on Platini. Well, that he was detained anyway.

The surprise is that it seems people are still investigating it. Heartwarming :)

As for Rafa, what a huge mistake to let him walk. Not sure why, though it seems that he wanted greater control, especially over transfers, and Ashley wouldn't agree to that.

Rafa was a higher calibre manager than Newcastle normally attract, with all due respect. They should have done more to keep him, if it's true that he would have stayed.

I think it's best for him that he's moved on. But where will he land? Could Chelsea scrap the Lampard chase and swoop for Rafa? I wouldn't trade him for Klopp, but if Klopp left I would take Rafa back in a heartbeat. He is a great tactician, the sort of manager who gets more from his team than the sum of their parts due to his tactical acumen and gameplans.

I don't think there is a football club in existance that is too big for RAFA but he may move to China where he has been offered somewhere in the region of £25 million per year.

I'm wondering if Ashley will have the courage to visit St James Park again.

He could go to China, but I think only if there are zero opportunities in England and Spain, maybe Italy. There's big money in China of course, but it's such a footballing backwater. I don't see it unless he has no other destination in Europe. And surely these will open up. Solksjaer's gone by October :D