Alan Shearer stands firm as NUFC management talks drag on

May 28 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

ALAN Shearer’s future remains uncertain as talks with Newcastle United’s hierarchy extend into a third day – but the club remain “hopeful” of brokering a deal before the end of the week.

Shearer departed the club’s Darsley Park training ground yesterday after an eight-hour working day that included talks with managing director Derek Llambias – but no announcement of the long-term contract that both parties crave. Talks will continue today and with both Shearer and owner Mike Ashley desperate for a rapid conclusion, a further announcement from the club is expected in the next 48 hours.

Both still hope that will be the news that Shearer has been given a long-term contract and a free hand to rebuild a shattered Newcastle United, but nothing can be taken for granted at this stage.

Transfer funds are understood to be one issue still to be resolved while another intriguing possibility emerged yesterday after investment banker Keith Harris was spotted in Newcastle.

Harris was the man charged with finding a new owner for the club when Ashley put United on the market last year, and there was widespread speculation that he had met with a locally-fronted consortium interested in making a bid for Newcastle. But Harris dismissed that last night, saying he had “categorically not” met anyone preparing a bid for the club. Although the situation is obviously delicate with the number of issues that need to be sorted out, a club insider told The Journal that nothing sinister should be read into a second day passing without an agreement.

“The process is continuing. Both parties are interested in getting something resolved as soon as possible but there are plenty of things to talk about,” the source told The Journal. “Talks haven’t broken down, there’s been no disagreement, the situation hasn’t really changed. Talks are continuing.” That will not be the news that United fans want to hear, but Shearer has a strong bargaining hand and only wants to take on the job if he feels he will be given the backing to radically overhaul the club.

Transfer funds and effective player recruitment this summer are both key to Shearer’s vision for the club.

Aware that the club’s wage bill is enormous, Shearer will seek to shift as many as ten of the squad that he inherited. But, aware that many of the players are on huge wages that clubs in the Premier League would struggle to match, he does not want transfer funds to be wholly conditional on players being shipped out.