According to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, the Saudi PIF will end their interest in buying Newcastle United if the club are relegated from the Premier League this season.
We currently sit 15th and eight points clear of the drop zone, however that margin will be reduced to five if Fulham win their game in hand.
Here’s what Ryder revealed in his latest appearance on the Everything is Black and White podcast, followed by a far more hopeful takeover update from another North-East reporter:
“Newcastle have to stay up.
“We are hearing talk from the PIF in Saudi Arabia….if they want to stay in talks with Newcastle, then it has to be Newcastle as a Premier League club.
“They are not interested if Newcastle get relegated.
“That’s what we are being told.”
On a more cheery note, The Mirror’s Simon Bird reveals how fresh optimism is building behind the scenes that a Saudi takeover can be resurrected following a few significant movements in the Middle East this month.
This comes after FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited Saudi Arabia last week and talked up their every-growing presence in football – a few days after they and Qatar agreed to kiss and make up after years of conflict that did nothing but derail the takeover bid through Bein Sports and that damning WTO report.
Here’s a snippet from Bird’s latest piece for The Mirror, which states that “hopes are rising that a way can be found of unblocking the sale of Newcastle United to the Saudi funded consortium led by Amanda Staveley”:
“It is time for an end game to be negotiated in the saga of St James’ Park, the Saudis and Mike Ashley.
“Hopes that the deal can be rekindled have been raised by a thawing in diplomatic relations between the Saudi’s and Qatar.
But did Infantino open up a pathway? Did he raise FIFA being denied access to the Saudi legal system to stop their pirate operation beoutQ?
Did he insist the Saudis must lift their ban on Premier League broadcast partner Qatar based beIN Sports? He should have.
North East MPs should also be campaigning for this, instead of turning their fire on the Premier League.
The Newcastle takeover stands no chance of going through until the Saudis are allowing top flight games to be shown legally.
That is now said to be a top issue for the UK government, made more important since beIN penned a new $500m deal to 2025.
The league is a major British global export, and the government does not want it stolen, or banned.
While Infantino raves, the Premier League is waiting to see what the Saudis actually DO to rehabilitate their reputation, with their takeover legal rows pending.
Only then will they stand a chance of getting their hands on Newcastle United, and finally get the chance to revive a club currently going nowhere.“
So, should Saudi put a total stop to all piracy and allow Bein Sports to be shown in their country – which seems highly likely now the deadlock with Qatar has been broken – we might just see genuine progress on this ‘failed’ takeover bid that is showing no signs of going away.
Who knows what happens next in this never-ending saga, but at least events over the past few weeks have suggested a mid to long-term solution may be possible.
Follow us on Twitter (@NUFCBlogcouk) and on Facebook HERE
Well that’s them gone then!
davep(Quote)
looks like the end of that cause there is only 1 way we are headed and thats down with this numbskull in charge, todays press conference defeatest attitude from him as usual saying we will have to be at our best to beat the bottom of the table side with no wins in the league this season, pound to the penny he picks jokelinton in his starting 11,wonder what excuses he comes up with if we dont win this game
kev the mag(Quote)
IF NUFC lose tomorrow night the Board will have to do the right thing and get rid of Bruce…
…and bring in a MANAGER
Can’t leave it any longer as it would be too late – give the new person a bit of time to get a couple of players that we actually want / need
And offload a few – Gayle, Shelvey, Hendrick, Fraser
KK(Quote)
Put up or Shut up = buy NUFC now – all this big talk about what you will do!
Buy the club now and get yr manager in to keep us in the Premiership
I don’t care who takes over AS LONG as they believe in the Club and the Area – but REALLY it’s been all talk and hot air!
Wake me up when you start keeping your word
KK(Quote)
“IF NUFC lose tomorrow night the Board will have to do the right thing and get rid of Bruce…”
There is no Board, FFS! And when has Ashley ever done the right thing? He’s not going to pay off Bruce and even if he did, who on earth do you imagine he’d bring in? Other than Rafa volunteering his services, Ashley has only gone for over the hill English ‘coach’s’. He’s never going to allow anyone to actually manage the club.
sickandtired(Quote)
Nothing to see, move on. PIF, if still interested, could get SDFC for pennies on the dollar when we are relegated. Why? Potential. Great fan base and a decent stadium.
LA Toon(Quote)
I call total 80II0cks on that.
The Saudis will walk away if we are relegated.
Is that the same Saudis who walked away when asked to clarify ownership?
Oh they’re walking away again? If everything doesn’t go right?
Sounds like somebody’s bored and just making stuff up again.
BykerBill(Quote)
MORE CLICK CHIT.
MR WILLIAM M MARRS(Quote)