The South African businessman Jonathan Cleland said last night he was "hopeful" of completing a takeover of Newcastle United. Cleland is heading a consortium of investors and has been in contact with the investment bank Seymour Pierce, who are in charge of finding a new buyer for Newcastle, over securing a potential £300m deal.

Cleland's interest in Newcastle was made public this month, only to be discredited when three South African billionaires, Johann Rupert, Brian Joffe and Vivian Imerman, who were also said to be involved in the consortium, stated they had no interest in buying out the current owner, Mike Ashley.

The Cleland bid also took a knock from Keith Harris, the chairman of Seymour Pierce, who described it this week as not being a "serious" offer, but Cleland insists the takeover attempt is genuine - and having spent the past week in South Africa shoring up investment, claims to be in a position to move on to the St James' Park board with immediate effect.

"We're hopeful of still doing a deal for Newcastle United very soon," Cleland told the Guardian, although he was unwilling to discuss who else was part of the consortium.