In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 157 appearances for Newcastle United, believes that the only way Newcastle's takeover will go through is if the new owners come up with the answers that the Premier League want to hear.

Mike Ashley thought he had finally found a buyer that would take Newcastle off his hands when Amanda Staveley's consortium stumped up £300 million, only for the potential new owners to pull the plug on the deal months later.

As it stands, Ashley's lawyers are preparing for a legal battle against the Premier League with an arbitration case set to begin later this year, something which the potential new owners turned down last year.

Speaking on how the takeover can go through and how there will always be problems in this potential deal, Howey told FFC:

"I think given what happened in the first attempted takeover of Newcastle, I think there's always going to be problems.

"They have got to come back with the answers that apparently the Premier League want to hear."

Steve Bruce has managed to guide Newcastle to safety since their 3-0 defeat against Brighton with the Magpies now unbeaten in their previous four games.

The Magpies earned an unlikely point against Liverpool last week where they also had a goal ruled out for handball by VAR just minutes before Joe Willock scored a 96th-minute equaliser.