Premier League clubs react angrily to Newcastle United ownership revelation

Premier League clubs have demanded talks over Newcastle United ownership amid recent revelations, reports the Guardian.

The Magpies’ chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan has been described in a United States court document as ‘a sitting minister of the Saudi government’.

The Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund completed a takeover of Newcastle in 2021.

However, the Premier League approved it after receiving assurances that the Saudi state would not have control of the club.

English top-flight clubs are angry and want the matter tabled at the next shareholders’ meeting on March 30.

The Premier League claimed after the takeover that PIF can be removed as Newcastle owners if they find evidence of KSA’s involvement in the club’s running.

PIF was described as ‘a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’ in the aforementioned document.

Those admissions in court could now put the Magpies’ owners in trouble. The other 19 clubs were against the Newcastle takeover from the start.

They cited Saudi’s well-documented unenviable human rights and broadcast piracy record.

A court ruled that the Kingdom were behind pirate satellite television service beoutQ.

The Premier League lost millions of pounds as a result of their live games being illegally streamed on the platform.

It now remains to be seen whether Newcastle will have their ownership revoked, given the breach of agreement.

The takeover took 18 months before it was approved, and another saga could be on the cards.

The St James’ Park club have experienced an upswing in fortunes since former owner Mike Ashley left.

They reached the final of the Carabao Cup and are fifth in the Premier League after 24 games.