Two groups are taking a closer look at Newcastle United.

The Independent says Mike Ashley has been openly looking to sell club he bought in 2007 since last year and in December announced that he wished to complete a sale before the January transfer window, with two interested parties having signed non-disclosure agreements.

Sources say, however, that no real progress has been made in 2019 with investment consortiums looking to buy the club from Ashley.

This despite Amanda Staveley, a financier whose group have been linked to the club for some months now, claiming this week that her group still retained an interest in buying Newcastle.