An Omani consortium is planning a takeover bid for Newcastle United.

The Guardian says with the newly relegated club up for sale at £100m, interest from wealthy investors in Muscat in a possible takeover at St James' Park swirled around Tyneside.

A UK-based investment group is also contemplating an offer, but, for the moment at least, Mike Ashley is still the owner of a club which may yet take some weeks, if not months, to sell and currently lacks a manager.