Here are the latest Newcastle United headlines for Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
New scout ready for work
Newcastle United have raided Brentford to appoint Hedy Hassine as an international scout.
Hassine has left his role as Brentford's lead Western Europe scout to take up a new position spotting first-team targets and emerging talent for Newcastle from where he is based in France.
Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Hassine wrote: "After two fantastic seasons with Brentford Football Club, I am proud to announce that I have just joined Newcastle United as first team and emerging talent international scout. I would like to sincerely thank the club for the trust.
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"Newcastle United is a great institution of English and European football with an ambitious project and great people. We have an exciting Premier League and Champions League season ahead of us. Let's get to work."
Hassine, who also had a spell as Brentford's lead France and Belgium scout, will compile detailed reports on targets; collate extensive references on potential players; and produce monthly positional lists for Newcastle. The Magpies are aiming to spot talents before they truly explode in value and have beefed up the club's scouting department accordingly.
Saint-Maximin future
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe does not want the Allan Saint-Maximin saga to rumble on during pre-season. Howe indicated at the end of the season that Saint-Maximin's future would be "dictated" by the player himself as he weighed up whether to stay on Tyneside or seek guaranteed game-time elsewhere. With Newcastle's transfer narrative already spinning out of control due to the number of linked players and agent leaks, Howe is keen to get focus within the group ahead of pre-season training and the trip to the United States.
Howe's logic on Saint-Maximin is understandable given he has the calibre and quality to step on to the big stage on Champions League nights and be the star of the show. Facing Europe's elite band of clubs would not daunt the Toon winger.
But there are other attractions for Saint-Maximin in a very active market too. AC Milan have been tracking him for a number of months and there is also said to be interest from Marseille although they need to get through the play-offs to qualify for this season's Champions League.
Saint-Maximin has been linked with AC Milan with the Serie A club already having an open line of communication to Tyneside after the Sandro Tonali deal. Newcastle will want a cash fee for the French winger if he decides to look for pastures new.
Ashley's United profit
Mike Ashley ultimately made a profit of more than £195m from the sale of Newcastle United. That is according to the latest annual report and financial statements filed by Mash Holdings, Ashley's private investment vehicle, for the year ending April 24, 2022. The accounts confirm, as widely reported, that Ashley sold the club for £305m in October, 2021 and, also, that the former owner made a substantial profit from the sale to a consortium made up of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Amanda Staveley and Jamie Reuben.
"On October 7, 2021, the group disposed of the entire share capital of Newcastle United Football Club Limited and its subsidiaries for a total consideration of £305m," an excerpt from the strategic report read. "A profit on disposal of £195.7m has been recognised in the current year after taking into account the net assets disposed of (£107.8m) and legal fees connected with the sale (£1.5m).
"Included in these financial statements are losses of £13.2m arising from the group's interest in Newcastle United Football Club up to the date of its disposal."
The accounts for St James' Holdings, which Ashley set up to buy Newcastle in 2007, have also been filed on Companies House. These reveal that Ashley plans to 'utilise the company as an investment holding company for future projects'.
