Mike Ashley is closing the Newcastle United retail store and has made all of his staff redundant, informing them that the club's proposed new owners do not wish to keep them.
In a move that insiders say points towards a development in the £300million Saudi-led takeover, the Sports Direct-owned store is now likely to return to club control.
Sportsmail understands the change is one of the conditions of the Saudi deal, which has been awaiting High Court arbitration since its collapse last summer. The progress of that private hearing is not known.
Staff were said to be stunned when told on Monday that the St James' Park shop must be cleared by next week and that all jobs would be lost.