Newcastle are close to having new owners before the year runs out, with takeover expert and billionaire business mogul Amanda Staveley doing everything necessary to complete a deal soon.
Many believe a change in ownership from the controversial and much-maligned Mike Ashley to ambitious investors will catapult Newcastle to the top of English football.
While a majority believes the Toons can establish themselves in the top half of the league going forward, former fans favourite Shay Given believes the club can become a top 4 side.
The ex-goalie played Champions League football at Saint James’ Park under Sir Bobby Robson, and is confident things wouldn’t have gone worse for Newcastle if someone like Ashley didn’t buy it a decade ago.
Given told the Telegraph: “Hopefully the club will be taken over because I don’t understand why Mike Ashley bought it in the first place.
“A club like Newcastle, if it has proper financial backing, it can go wherever it wants really.
“It’s got the stadium and the fanbase already. “Of course, it is realistic for Newcastle to be as big as Man City.
“Look where they were when Sheikh Mansour took control, they were bobbing along in the bottom half of the Premier League and look where they are now.
“They are one of the favourites to win the Champions League and they are probably favourites to win the Premier League.
“If there is huge investment in the team, they will be queueing round the block to get into the stadium.”
Newcastle, despite Ashley’s refusal to release much-needed transfer funds, have had an impressive start to the campaign, and one can only wonder how better they could have turned out if manager Rafa Benitez was well-equipped in the summer transfer window.
