KIERAN GILL: Amanda Staveley could be about to become the new First Lady of Football. She is thought to have a personal fortune of £115m-plus, and is no stranger to the limelight.

CRAIG HOPE: Newcastle United are in talks with Amanda Staveley over the sale of the Premier League club. So is this finally the end of Mike Ashley's 13-year reign as owner?

The Italian left Juventus at the end of last season and has been out of work since, despite being linked with a host of teams across Europe.

EXCLUSIVE BY MIKE KEEGAN AND CRAIG HOPE: Sources have disclosed that all the necessary paperwork has been lodged, and that the potential deal now awaits their approval.

Newcastle's potential new owners believe that the finances of the £300m takeover mean there will be no need to continue the controversial furlough scheme, according to the Telegraph.

A deal worth £300million from Saudi Arabia's Private Investment Fund, Amanda Staveley and the Reuben Brothers to take control of the club from current owner Mike Ashley is close to being finalised.

Mike Ashley is close to sealing the £300million sale of the Premier League club to a consortium fronted by Amanda Staveley, which has been backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Steve Bruce was an unpopular choice to replace Rafael Benitez, but Sam Allardyce insists Newcastle must stick with the former Sunderland boss once the takeover is complete.

Mike Ashley's 13-year ownership of Newcastle is nearing the end. His £300m sale of the club is now in the hands of the Premier League, and he is 'closer than ever' to getting his wish.

EXCLUSIVE BY CRAIG HOPE: Sources close to the £300million deal being brokered by Amanda Staveley say it would be 'wrong' to make an immediate managerial change.

Jenas, who played for the Magpies in the Champions League, thinks the buyers will want to revolutionise his former side and bring back the ambition that was lacking under Ashley

Should the Reuben brothers play an integral part in Mike Ashley departing Newcastle United, Ant and Dec might suddenly find they have competition as the Toon's favourite double act.

The bid to take over the club is being chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, who is the defence minister. He oversaw the devastating Yemen attacks that caused a humanitarian crisis.

Arturo Vidal is reportedly set to leave Barcelona this summer on the cheap, as his contract is set to expire in June 2021. Newcastle have emerged as contenders to sign the Chilean international.

Mark Jenson is the co-founder of The Mag, now the leading independent website on all things Newcastle United. He speaks out about what it is like to support a team owned by the retail giant.

OLIVER HOLT - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Let us disregard the succession just for a moment and agree that if Mike Ashley departs Newcastle United, it will be a reason to celebrate. 

HELEN CAHILL - CITY CORRESPONDENT: Saudi fund boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan is in the final stages of taking over as chairman of Newcastle United, sources told Sportsmail.

After Asprilla pledged to provide 3.5million contraceptives due to a global shortage, the Colombian unveiled his latest ambitious proposal to ensure his customers can still be supplied.

A huge £200million will be handed to Newcastle boss Steve Bruce by the club's prospective new owners as part of an ambitious plan to return the Geordie club to Champions League contenders.

Sources have disclosed that cash has now exchanged hands - with the remainder of the balance due when the Premier League approves the change of ownership.

Longstaff, who burst onto the scene when he scored the match-winner against Manchester United, is out of contract on June 30 and talks over a new deal have stagnated in recent months.

The prospective new owners - a consortium backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund - are on the cusp of tying up a £300m that would rocket the club to the top of the financial charts.

EXCLUSIVE BY CRAIG HOPE: Mike Ashley was hours away from confirming the £300million sale of Newcastle United last week only for the Saudi owners in-waiting to insist on a delay.

EXCLUSIVE BY MARTIN SAMUEL: The deposit paid by the Saudi Arabian consortium is non-refundable, meaning Newcastle owner Ashley gets richer even if the takeover is not ratified.

According to ESPN, the club's new owners are looking to bring in a high-profile manager which will spell the end of Bruce's one-season stint at the club.

The north-east club are reportedly on the verge of being sold to a Saudi-backed consortium which involves Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for around £300million.

Newcastle United managing director Lee Charnley has reached an amicable agreement with Amanda Staveley's Saudi-backed group that will see him depart St James' Park.

The imminent takeover at Newcastle United has fuelled talk of the club once again challenging at the top of the Premier League. Sportsmail has taken a look at possible transfer targets.

English football's biggest overseas broadcast partner beIN Sports have reportedly urged the Premier League to block Newcastle's proposed takeover from the Saudi Arabian-led consortium.

The Premier League are understood to be going through the owners and directors test to put their seal of approval on the deal, but it may not be a straightforward case given the protests.

Pochettino was relieved of his duties at Spurs back in November, but the club continue to pay his substantial £8.5m-a-year wages, and now the Argentine is being linked with Newcastle.

England cricket legend Andrew Flintoff has recalled how Newcastle boss Steve Bruce once bailed him out of a sticky situation at a restaurant after his credit card had maxed out.

The versatile left back had impressed for Rennes this season before the coronavirus pandemic halted play, helping guide his side to third in Ligue 1 with 10 matches remaining.

Amnesty's UK director Kate Allen wrote a letter saying there were serious questions to address but Masters insisted 'due process' would take place.

A £300million buyout of the north-east club, backed by the country's public investment fund, is reportedly close to being finalised.

beIN Sports shone a light on Saudi Arabia's involvement in the piracy of matches, highlighting the Premier League's unsuccessful attempts to take legal action against satellite provider Arabsat.

The UK government have been urged by its own members to take an active role in scrutinising the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United following calls for the deal to be blocked.

Al-Rumayyan was headhunted n to run Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is worth around $330bn and has been funding the nation's push to host a growing array of sporting events.

The Human Rights Foundation have become the latest campaign group to write to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters condemning the takeover of Newcastle.

The Magpies are close to finalising a £300million takeover by a Saudi Arabian consortium which is backed by the country's public investment fund.

The Premier League club are nearing a change of ownership after a £300million bid by a Saudi Arabia-lead consortium was accepted by controversial owner Mike Ashley.

Faustino Asprilla has backed Steve Bruce to stay on as Newcastle United boss after the club is taken over by a Saudi consortium, despite links to high profile managers. 

Newcastle United's Saudi Arabian takeover, led by Amanda Staveley, will face renewed scrutiny this week from the Premier League after further complaints from human rights activists.

A year has passed since the beheading of 37 Saudi men and still the families wait to receive the bodies. At the time, they did not even know their loved ones had been executed.

Both bodies have their versions of 'financial fair play' (FFP), with the Premier League limiting owner-subsidised losses to £105million over three years and UEFA limiting three-year losses to £26m.

Even if Newcastle's takeover happens, spending restrictions in place at domestic level in the Premier League and at UEFA level will make it difficult for the club to spend high amounts.

Keegan is adored by Newcastle fans having made 78 appearances for the club while enjoying two separate spells as manager, having nearly guided them to Premier League gold in the 1990s.

The Napoli centre-back has been heavily linked with long-term admirers Manchester United, but Newcastle are also reportedly preparing to make an offer to the Senegal international.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Alan Pardew could only sit and wait for the phone call. There was nothing else to do as the fate of ADO Den Haag's season was debated in a series of video conference calls.

The Saudi-backed consortium fronted by Amanda Staveley - who expect to complete their £300million Newcastle takeover imminently - feel that they need a world class manager right away.