SAUDI OWNERS ADDRESS NEWCASTLE SALE RUMOURS TO BUY UTD
Saudi Arabia's PIF has reportedly not ruled out selling Newcastle United to fund a takeover of Manchester United, despite Premier League rules prohibiting multi-club ownership.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia has stated unequivocally that it may sell Newcastle to finance the acquisition of Manchester United.
In October 2021, PIF, under the leadership of its governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, acquired an 80 per cent majority share in Newcastle.
In contrast, the Glazer family put United up for sale in October 2022 after evaluating "all strategic choices for the future of the club".
Sheikh Jassim, a billionaire from Qatar, had indicated interest in buying the club altogether, but the Glazers ultimately agreed to sell Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS 25% of their shares.
The arrangement, which was finalised in December 2023, has a number of important provisions, including a "drag-along" clause that might compel Ratcliffe to sell his shares after 18 months.
If the Glazers decided to sell the club to someone else, they would have to pay the British billionaire £26 per share, which he now controls in the region of 50 million shares.
Saudi boxing chairman Turki Alalshikh made the shocking assertion on Twitter on Wednesday night that United is "currently in an advanced stage of completing a contract to sell to a new investor."
Alalshikh's remarks are untrue, according to many United-affiliated individuals who spoke to BBC Sport, but they left supporters perplexed as to why the statement was made in the first place.
The Old Trafford teams are negotiating to play a midseason friendly in Saudi Arabia during the Riyadh Season, according to a report from The Athletic last week.
Although Alalshikh's responsibilities as Saudi Arabia's Global Entertainment Authority go beyond boxing, and he recently negotiated a deal with WWE for the Gulf Kingdom to host WrestleMania, the story made no mention of his involvement in those discussions.
There would be many obstacles to overcome if Saudi Arabia did show a genuine interest in acquiring United.
According to BBC Sport, Saudi Arabia's prospects of passing the Premier League's Owners and Directors' Test "seem doubtful", even if the people running Newcastle and United were distinct. This is because English football prohibits multi-club ownership by the same company.
In any case, it seems that the Saudis are not really eager to "dump" Newcastle.
Journalist Ben Jacobs stated in December 2022 that there was "no likelihood" of such occurring because PIF was totally focused on Newcastle.
In March 2023, Amanda Staveley, a former Newcastle chief executive who was a member of the PIF-led consortium that acquired the Magpies, told the Financial Times Football Summit (via Sky Sports): "We were very clear that we wanted a club with a passionate fanbase." Al-Rumayyan rarely discusses the Northeast club in public. We have that.
Because we [Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghoudoussi] are also PIF partners, we also wanted a club that we could purchase at a reasonable price.
"We did not choose Liverpool, Chelsea, or the fantastic Tottenham. I am a huge Liverpool supporter, and we attempted to purchase them, but we decided to pay £350 million instead of X billion when we went to a Newcastle game.
"No, I do not think so [about PIF joining United or Liverpool]. "I truly do not see that occurring, but I cannot speak for PIF."
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
