Discussions between PIF and the club’s hierarchy are still ongoing over the biggest question hanging over Newcastle United right now; expand St James’ Park or build a brand new stadium?
Any stadium plans will require a ‘huge investment’ from the club’s owners and CEO Darren Eales has been discussing the next steps in an in-depth interview with the media this week.
Whatever happens next, reassurances have arrived over the ambition and commitment of our majority owners, who are also working on plans to building a new training ground.
Here’s everything Eales has had to say on stadium plans, PIF’s commitment, the promise of “huge investment” and the potential for a brand new training ground.
Eales on training ground plans
Eales also confirmed that Newcastle had indeed floated the idea of developing a new training ground alongside their ongoing stadium plans.
“We know we have to do that,” Eales said regarding a new facility. “To get to where ownership wants to get to, we need to have a new training ground.”
“We’re at the early stages and have to look at all viable possibilities (of where to build it). “If we could, we’d want to stay in the city.”
Regarding timescales, Eales stated it is being looked at in the “medium term”, but feels this is another sign of the ongoing “commitment” PIF are showing behind the scenes.
Back in January, The Mail’s Craig Hope reported that Newcastle have brought in world-renowned architects, Populous, to design a brand new training ground, with the Reuben-owned Newcastle Racecourse and a site close to Newcastle airport (Woolsington) under consideration.
Eales on stadium plans
A truly divisive debate, Eales also weighed in on the prospect of moving from St James’ Park or expanding on the current site.
He revealed that the club are narrowing down the possibilities and looking to step up plans in the “near future”, but insists part of the feasibility study is finding out what fans want.
“We’re looking to get something done in the near future. We’ve looked at the feasibility of what is possible and that is what we are narrowing down.
“Part of that is feasibility building wise, feasibility of making sure, from a fan perspective, we take everybody on the journey.”
Eales also explained why the club are taking their time over such a huge decision, adding: “It’s a once-in-a-generation decision – we don’t want to rush and do something that in 20 years’ time, we think, “If we had spent a bit more time, that would have had a bigger impact.”
Eales on PIF’s commitment
While PSR has held us back, some have questioned whether the lack of signings or progress around infrastructure points towards the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking a step back.
However, Eales has assured any doubters that the PIF are still heavily vested in the Newcastle project, insisting they are “100% committed” and planning “huge investment” regarding our stadium plans.
He said: “I deal with them day to day – they are 100 per cent committed to Newcastle. That’s the exciting part, there is no change in terms of where we want to get to. The one thing we’d say is that we have to do that within the regulatory regime that is there.”
“We are talking about a stadium project. We have to define what that looks like. But whichever path we go down, that is huge investment that is going in.”
Whatever route we go down, the club clearly sees stadium development plans as the potential catalyst to truly elevate Newcastle to the upper echelon of the Premier League and European Football.
With the likes of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Emirates Stadium being such massive revenue drivers for their respective clubs, it should come as no surprise why it’s high on the PIF’s list of priorities when it comes to the future of Newcastle United.
