Saudi Plans for Newcastle May Not Be on Scale of Man City Transformation Proposed Takeover Is Now Being Reviewed
Established 1961 19 Sports Tuesday, May 5, 2020 Saudi plans for Newcastle may not be on scale of Man City transformation Proposed takeover is now being reviewed DUBAI/MANCHESTER: A bid by a Saudi Arabian criminal conviction for fraud, are not bankrupt, and state fund to secure ownership of Newcastle United is have not been banned from serving as a company di- drawing scrutiny, but even if it succeeds it is unlikely rector. Newcastle supporters, however, are mostly ex- that the petrodollars will transform the Premier League cited at the prospect of major investment in their team, club into a powerhouse in the near future. which has not featured in the Champions League since The prospect of the Saudi bid fuelling a rapid rise 2004 and has not won the English title since 1927 or to the top, in the manner of Manchester City’s four title FA Cup since 1955, despite claiming one of the coun- successes under owners from the United Arab Emi- try’s largest fan bases. rates, has thrilled many Newcastle fans, but several an- The timing of the bid, though, is far from ideal — alysts believe that the investment impact may not be the Premier League is currently suspended due to the on such a scale. coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, Moody’s Investors A group fronted by British financier Amanda Stave- Service cut Saudi Arabia’s outlook to “negative” from ley, with an expected 80% “stable”, saying the oil investment from the Saudi price crash has raised fiscal sovereign wealth fund PIF risks for the Gulf nation.
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