Newcastle United's would-be owners will likely have 'advised' upon the Magpies' decision to sign a commercial deal with eToro.
That's the view of football finance expert Kieran Maguire, who believes the pressure is on Mike Ashley to secure profitable agreements to preserve the value of the takeover deal.
United announced the 'exciting' partnership with eToro on August 26, with the investment platform benefiting from matchday marketing opportunities and digital rights.
The Magpies went on to announce a further commercial agreement with Tomket Tyres on Thursday, two days after another quiet deadline day.
Ashley's future on Tyneside remains uncertain, with unwelcome delays in both legal battles launched in an attempt to force through the deal backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Maguire insists this commitment to reviving the takeover means Ashley will likely have consulted with the would-be owners to ensure the agreements were up to scratch.
He told Football Insider : “The way you value a club is you look at the future cash being generated.
“If the deal negotiations are at an advanced stage, the prospective new owners will have been advised as to the value of the deal with eToro and other partners.
“Given that Mike Ashley has still got to persuade them to pay a final price, if he locks the club into low-value deals, especially on a long-term basis, that is no good for him.
"If the club has been locked into lower-value revenue streams, that’s going to have an impact on what Ashley can charge.
“It’s not in Ashley’s interest or the new owner’s interest to be tied into them.”
