REVEALED: The key players behind Newcastle’s fresh £300m takeover bid
- Sportsmail revealed on Thursday Newcastle are the subject of new takeover bid
- Peter Kenyon launched £300m offer to buy club with Florida-based consortium
- Here, Sportsmail takes a look at the key players involved in the takeover proposal
Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley is currently mulling over a £300million proposal from Peter Kenyon to buy the club.
Ashley has been offered £125m up front to sell and has indicated he will give his response in 10 days.
Kenyon has teamed up with Florida-based GACP Sports to make the offer. Here, Sportsmail takes a look at the key players behind the grand plan.
Newcastle’s Mike Ashley is mulling over a £300m proposal from Peter Kenyon to buy the club
Peter Kenyon
Potential Newcastle owner
The 65-year-old from Cheshire worked for sportswear firm Umbro before being appointed a director of Manchester United in 1997.
He was made chief executive in 2000 before moving to Chelsea, where he served as chief executive under Roman Abramovich and his time involved controversies including the alleged tapping-up of Ashley Cole and the attempt to hire then England boss Sven Goran Eriksson.
After leaving in 2009 he became a director at sports consultants Opto Advisors.
Kenyon’s time at Chelsea involved controversies including alleged tapping-up of Ashley Cole
Joseph DaGrosa
Bordeaux president and GACP Sports CEO
The 55-year-old American founded multiple companies before purchasing Bordeaux last year.
Not known for pulling his punches, he has described Paris Saint-Germain as ‘bullies’ and when asked about competing with the French champions, he said: ‘I don’t have oil in my backyard, so we have to find a different way to compete, and that means getting to young talent.’
In April he launched DaGrosa Capital Partners to help manage his public investments.
The 55-year-old purchased Bordeaux last year and has founded multiple companies
David Neithardt
Partner at GACP Sports
Neithardt has worked with DaGrosa for 21 years at several different companies.
They partnered each other in the launch of DaGrosa Capital Partners earlier this year. Fluent in Spanish, he began his career as a financial analyst and is based in Miami.
David Neithardt (R) has been DaGrosa’s right-hand man at various companies over last 21 years
Hugo Varela
Soccer schools supremo
Valera is currently an executive and advisor at Bordeaux. He is also the owner of Benfica Soccer Schools and Football and Friends — academies for young players in Portugal.
He lives in both New York and Orlando. Varela visited London last month and helped persuade Laurent Koscielny to leave Arsenal and join Bordeaux.
Hugo Varela (L) helped persuade Laurent Koscielny to leave Arsenal for Bordeaux