Plenty of Newcastle United fans have been reacting to a takeover update from Craig Hope, as The Daily Mail reporter claimed Mike Ashley is happy to sell the club if the consortium led by Amanda Staveley produce the cash.

Despite long-standing scepticism amongst Magpies fans, with many in the Toon Army believing Ashley never has any intention of selling the club, Hope claims the infamous owner is finally ready to cash in.

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According to recent reports, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), fronted by Staveley, are once again interested in a deal and paperwork has been submitted to the Premier League.

However, while Hope’s claims that Ashley is ready to sell should provide some optimism, he also states that no concrete offer has been made yet, and the Premier League will not be interested until a deal is agreed.

Plenty of fans have been reacting to the update from Hope, with many criticising the report and pointing to his previous clash with Steve Bruce. You can check out some of the best Twitter responses down below…

The Toon Army couldn't contain their excitement after a cryptic takeover hint from the Middle East...