Newcastle United have been linked to several new owners over the years - from the Bin Zayed Group, Orlegi Sports up to the most credible, the consortium led by the Public Investment Fund.
Some fans have asked questions over how the Bin Zayed Group have been allowed to buy up Championship side Derby County with relative ease in comparison to the stringent Premier League test the Public Investment Fund went under.
The PIF, PCP and the Reuben Brothers pulled out of the deal in July after weeks of delay from the Premier League who failed to come a decision on the deal either way.
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Speaking on The Everything is Black and White Podcast, our chief sports writer Lee Ryder spoke about whether he felt the deal would ever be back on the table - and suggested that perhaps being a Championship club may have benefited the Magpies in a perverse kind of way.
"Well, we'll have to see with this fan [legal] challenge and what emerges from it," Ryder said.
"Hopefully, we'll get some answers.
"Will the deal get back on the table? It depends on, and I've said it before, do the Public Investment Fund lose interest in this because without them there would be no takeover anyway because the other people involved [PCP and the Reuben Brothers] could have done this themselves by now.
"The Reuben Brothers have the funds do it, they didn't want to do it.
"So it comes down to PIF and if they lose interest.
"He might buy another club.
"We've seen with Derby County [with BZG], the EFL and that their fit and proper persons test is obviously a little bit different.
"Had Newcastle been a Championship club, I would say that they probably would have new owners now.
"That's the irony."
