Middle Eastern financier Amanda Staveley reportedly made a £300m bid for Newcastle United
A British multi-millionaire financier has reportedly made a £300 million ($397 million) bid for Premier League team Newcastle United.
PCP Capital Partners, a wealth management firm run by powerful Middle Eastern financier Amanda Staveley, has made a formal bid to buy the football team, according to a new report from Sky News.
There have been rumours and speculation about a possible bid from Staveley since October, when she attended a match between Newcastle and Liverpool (it ended in a draw, 1-1), and then allegedly spoke to officials for the team after the match.
The £300 million is reportedly a mix of Staveley's own funds and other investors, and it's not clear if there are other "credible" bidders, Sky News reported.
Newcastle United is currently owned by Mike Ashley, billionaire founder of Sports Direct. He bought the club for around £135 million ($179 million) and also gave it interest-free loans, making his total investment around £260 million ($344 million), according to Chronicle Live.
Staveley has a net worth of £110 million ($146 million), according to the Sunday Times richlist, while her firm PCP's clientele includes Middle Eastern royalty and businessmen. She's also the ex-girlfriend of Prince Andrew, and a former model.
She has previously bid - twice - for Liverpool, and helped Sheikh Mansour with his 2008 takeover of Manchester City.