Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is reportedly ready to sell the Magpies to Dubai-based consortium DIC - just months after buying the club.Ashley is apparently ready to sell just a few months after buying the Magpies for £130million - and his representatives approached the Dubai-based consortium, offering to sell for £300million.

DIC were understandably uninterested at that price and remain committed to buying Liverpool from Americans George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

It now seems that Ashley's best chance of selling Newcastle United will be to a local consortium who could offer around £250million and the incentive of Alan Shearer's involvement.

"Alan has been contacted by a group who want to try to buy Newcastle," a source is quoted in the Daily Telegraph.

"They're from the North East. What they want from Alan is not his money but his support, his blessing."

More Football News from TEAMtalk