MALAYSIAN HAS NO INTEREST TO BUY NEWCASTLE UNITED

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysian media-mogul Ananda Krishnan
Wednesday denied recent media reports that he or companies owned by him
had expressed interest in purchasing English football club Newcastle
United.

In a statement issued by Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd, a company owned by him,
Ananda noted that there was no truth or foundation to the news reports.

"News reports were carried on July 5 and July 6 in various newspapers in
Malaysia and Singapore that Ananda Krishnan or companies owned by Krishnan had
expressed an interest in purchasing Newcastle United Football Club and that his
representatives had been engaged in talks to explore or even conclude such a
deal.

"There is in fact no truth or foundation to this story.

"Mr Krishnan has not expressed an interest in purchasing Newcastle United
Football Club, has not sent any delegation to Newcastle to engage in such talks
or authorised any representatives to negotiate on his behalf and is not
considering any such purchase," the statement said.

Earlier, the British media reported that a Malaysian consortium led by
several well-known businessmen had put in a 80 million pound (RM456 million)
bid to take control of Newscastle or 'The Magpies' from its owner Mike Ashley
but they were bound by non-disclosure agreements.

The Sun UK last Friday reported that 71-year-old Krishnan, is likely to
close the deal and end sportswear tycoon Ashley's two-year ownership of the
club.

The daily reported that the deal was likely to be sealed at 95 million
pounds, 40 million pounds less than what Ashley paid in 2007 to buy the club.
--BERNAMA