MIKE ASHLEY will seek clarification from the Premier League over the state of his proposed sale of Newcastle United if there is no indication of progress by the start of next week.

Ashley has adopted a hands-off approach since agreeing a £300m sale price with Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners group more than two months ago, and has opted to let the Premier League’s owners and directors’ test, which remains ongoing, run its course.

However, it is understood he has become increasingly frustrated at the delay over a decision on the deal, and is ready to contact Premier League officials to request a formal update if the current silence continues into next week.

Ashley wants to know where he stands before he has to start sanctioning decisions on contracts and loan agreements that are currently due to expire at the end of June.

The situation is complicated by the desire to keep the likes of Javier Manquillo and Andy Carroll on Newcastle’s books until the end of the season, which will now extend beyond the normal cut-off date for contracts to run out.

Having agreed a sale price with Staveley and her Saudi Arabian-backers in early April, Ashley had expected to have severed his ties with Newcastle long before now.

However, a combination of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and a need to forensically assess a string of allegations that have been made against the Saudi Arabian regime that is set to take an 80 per cent stake in the Magpies means the Premier League are yet to complete their checks.

Both parties remain confident the deal will eventually be passed, but as he prepares to turn his attention to the reopening of his retail empire, with most non-essential shops set to return to business on Monday, Ashley is keen to complete the process of drawing a line under his time at Newcastle.

The Magpies return to action when they host Sheffield United a week on Sunday, and will be boosted by the availability of first-choice goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Dubravka’s season looked to be over when he damaged his knee in March’s 1-0 defeat at Southampton, but the enforced coronavirus hiatus has enabled him to return to full fitness.

“I feel all right,” said Dubravka. “Obviously, I’ve done different movements so the first week for me was strange. I was not sure if my knee was 100 per cent repaired.

“But it is now, and I don’t even need to think about it. I am glad that I am 100 per cent ready, and ready to be on the pitch. Finally we’re back and hopefully we are ready for the games.”