South African group in pole position to get Newcastle

Those hoping for clarity at Newcastle United thought they found some yesterday. It is 18 days since Mike Ashley put the club up for sale and there have been almost as many theoretical buyers in that period, but that is because there are several credible interested parties and some names were put on the South African consortium yesterday.

It appears to be ahead of others in rivalling unknown groups in China and America in completing a purchase that Ashley hopes could be done within six weeks.

In sporting terms, and perhaps economically, Johann Rupert is the most significant figure to have emerged. Rupert has been described as South Africa's richest man. Two other names that have surfaced are Brian Joffe and Vivian Imerman. It was claimed yesterday that a bid of £280m has been lodged already by the collective and that their first aim would be to restore Kevin Keegan to his post as manager and offer him a share in the club, much as the five percent shareholding Peter Reid had at Sunderland.

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But Keegan, just returned from a break in America, has not yet received even third party contact from this group, whereas it is understood the Nigerian consortium fronted by Chris Nathaniel have been in touch with Keegan and those close to him. Partly due to the noise they have created, the Nigerians are not being treated as seriously as the South Africans. If Rupert is a key player, then that would explain why.

A 58-year-old billionaire based in Stellenbosch, Rupert has made his fortune from jewellery and telecommunications among other things. He was linked to a possible £50m purchase of Blackburn Rovers last June but rejected any connection emphatically, saying at the time: "You can never, ever show a return on a football/soccer team in the UK."

However, that was in regard to being a sole purchaser whereas the mooted South African consortium offers shared financial responsibility. Rupert is known in British sport via his background ownership of rugby club Saracens – in March one of his companies, VenFin, purchased a stake in the holding company that owns Saracens, Premier Team Holdings – and also because four years ago he and other South African businessmen and rugby players proposed the creation of a new club that would represent South Africans in London.

The Rugby Football Union were unwilling to allow the "London Tribe" immediate access to the top divisions of English rugby and so the idea withered. A spokesman for Saracens said he was unaware of which or any games Rupert has attended at Vicarage Road, where Saracens share Watford's ground.

One of Saracens' players is Michael Owen and at Newcastle it would be the same. Newcastle Owen's contract is sure to be different though, and is in need of extending or he will leave for nothing next summer.