Newcastle are effectively in a holding pattern as prospective buyers continued to study the books.
Interested parties were granted access to the club's financial documentation on Wednesday having proved to the satisfaction of investment bankers Seymour Pierce that they have the cash to meet owner Mike Ashley's £100million asking price.
In that respect, there are bids on the table, although there is still a long way to go before any offer could be formalised or accepted, and sources close to the deal have indicated no announcement is imminent.
However, that does not mean progress is not being made, although the identities of the competing consortia and just how far down the line they are respectively remain a matter of some speculation.
Those parties who have reached the point of due diligence - the process of going through the books - have been required to sign non-disclosure agreements which prevent them from making any comment.
Indeed, only the Singapore-based Profitable Group has confirmed its interest, and that on June 10 since when there has been no further word.
At least four consortia are understood to have been in formal contact with Seymour Pierce chairman Keith Harris, the man handed the task of selling the club by Ashley, although it is understood several more may have made approaches.
Groups from South Africa, Oman and the United States, as well as Singapore, have been linked with the club, while former chairman Freddy Shepherd too has more than a passing interest in the race to buy out Ashley.
In addition, no deadline has been imposed and there remains the possibility the successful candidate may be yet to declare its hand, although the current regime is keen to complete its exit as quickly as possible.
Ashley's desperation to get out is understandable with the city's evening newspaper, the Evening Chronicle, reporting he faces another £10million bill at the end of this month to cover player bonuses for last season. In addition, it is understood the latest instalments of the deals which brought Damien Duff and Obafemi Martins to St James' Park are also due.
Comment 35 - 54 of 94
heyup you noticed,the nufc crowd have gone kinda quiet,hutch/rabbit,connolly 2ns,and the one and only,yes,CAMERON, da,dAAAAAAAAAAAAA.the safc invaders,they know whats coming,the three stooges,WHA WHA WHA.
toonrdoon,an absolute screamer,gets better and better,a bonus for being relegated,hang on mate,and thats with the fans cash,WOW fu-ckin Wow,what will they not put up with at toontown.
toongoon...great idea we can send ashley to the village of the damned!! he is a slippery git, so should fit in well with you lot!! quote"bet hes really slim and good looking" fancy blokes do we??
newcastle 44,all the clowns are in newcastle mate,take a look at last season,have a good laugh,like the rest of us in the western hemisphere,heyup looks like next seasons gonna be a bigger laugh,reg varney is he one of your strikers.
Whata beaut!! The Doon (whoever owns them) have to pay the players bonuses for getting the club relegated!! LOL or what? I hope Duff was paid double, given that it was he who hammered the final nain it the coffin! It just gets better and better. 100% laughing stock. Can I propose that Mike Ashley is knighted and given the freedon of the City of Sunderland? He's a clearly a Mackem in disguise, bet he's really slim and good-looking under his fat and ugly suit!!
hutch 42 ,small minded as usual,your so easy.
ttiot...their you go again,your club is in dissarray...........big yawnzzzzz.like i say you have nothing new to say!why not tell us something we dont know??as for yungun, i remember big lawrie(mackem legend)..."fulwell 85"
Newcastleian1 - what a tozza you are pal that would be tozzer with a capital 'T'
Bonuses................! That`s a fecking cheek.
Newcastleian1 "Our patter is repetitive" take a look at the drivel you write yourself pal.
You are indeed yet one more mag who needs help ! Come over from the dark side yungun and smell the coffee your fans, your team, your club and your owner are in total dissarray.
imp....i know who you are now!!your the clown in the reg varney top goading the geordies last season,saw you outside with a big black eye....priceless...your him arent you simple simon the seaburn casual!!
And I imagine you look like Susan Boyle
Imp 39 -
I imagine you sitting in your bedsit, feeling sorry for yourself.
English Teacher
all you mackems bang on about is the championship,no manager,no owner,relegated next season,your patter is boring and repetitive,so have your day in the sun(come out from under your stones)you know as well as us we will be sold,we will get a manager,and we will return to the premier league.
hutch 37,you cant describe your own company,well thats not surprising is it.!let me guess,its bound to be imaginitive,like in your dreams.what other things do you imagine hutch,things,like nufc gaining promotion,or having a team or manager or owner,god! the list is endless,youll,e have to give me a clue!.
who is this super power premier league club you profess to support??ah the one that finished 2 points above us!!we admit we are s...e,you lot dont? but now you have brucey,who has nearly spat the dummy out more times than keegan himself,with his track record of winning things???im sure europe beckons!!!!(that will be a 1st!)
Imp 34 -
I'll leave that to your imagination.
he has an office on the top floor of the post office tower
Heslop448, your wasting your time trying to hold any sort of conversation with Newcastleian1. He is obviously a @#$% in denial !!!! ( one of thousands )
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