Kenyon heads Newcastle consortium

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley revealed earlier this week that he was in more advanced talks than ever before over selling the club, with Kenyon's consortium believed to have made the bid he was referring to.

According to reports, Kenyon is working with American financial advisory firm Rockerfeller Capital Management.

The group are believed to have been in talks over the purchase since September, though there are also said to be as many as three other parties in the running.

Ashley is said to have received £300m+ bids from four parties, with foreign investors believed to be the major backers in the majority of bids.

The businessman is keen to sell the club sooner rather than later with the January transfer window on the horizon, but with the requisite checks and processes that the Premier League must undertake for a club to change hands usually taking around 14 days to complete without taking into account the Christmas break and the imprnding departure of Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, the interested parties face a race against time to complete a deal this month.