Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has genuine interest in Newcastle United, according to reports in America.
The 43-year-old teased Toon fans during a talk-in in Newcastle last week when he told the audience: "If the people want me to buy the Newcastle team let me know."
While his answer was taken by fans for what it was - a jovial response aimed at attracting mass attention - American website TMZ , which frequently breaks celebrity exclusive stories, claims Mayweather wasn't simply playing up to the audience but that the former world champion wants to 'buy a stake' in the club.
The report stated: "We called up Floyd's people after the event to find out if he's being serious. We were told Floyd IS, in fact, interested in buying a stake in the team ... but so far, no official negotiations have taken place."
The Michigan-born fighter is thought to have a wealth of somewhere between $500m-$1 billion, meaning that a straight buyout wouldn't be as easy as one completed by the previously linked Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
News of yet another claim of interest in the club will understandably infuriate fans who have grown tired of stories linking Mike Ashley with an exit.
