Here’s what Paddy Power says
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is keen to sell the Premier League club before Christmas – with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg a surprise contender to takeover.
The mutli-billionaire investor is known to be monitoring the Premier League – a notorious cash cow – and Ashley’s sudden urgency to relinquish control at St James’ Park could prompt a bid from the American.
Paddy Power make him the 14/1 third-favourite to become the next majority owner of Rafa Benitez’s men.
He’s behind only Robert Kraft (11/1) – who would be going from New England to Newcastle, as owner of NFL side Patritots – and Mikhail Prokhorov (also 11/1), a Russian politician.
US restaurant mogul Tilman Fertitta ( 17/1) follows Zuckerberg in the betting, as do Donald Trump (60/1) and Richard Branson (90/1).
Spokesman Paddy Power said: “Mike Ashley declaring that he intends to sell Newcastle was met by relief from their fans – and they’d surely like a Facebook bid.
“After all, their club is perfectly set up for the ‘On This Day’ feature – with their biggest successes consigned to history.
“It’d certainly give rival fans an excuse to say that the Magpies Zuck.”
NEXT MAJORITY OWNER OF NEWCASTLE
11/1 Robert Kraft
11/1 Mikhail Prokhorov
14/1 Mark Zuckerberg
17/1 Tilman Fertitta
33/1 Mark Cuban
60/1 Donald Trump
60/1 Rupert Murdoch
90/1 Richard Branson
275/1 Elon Musk
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