Fans of Newcastle United have been reacting to a post on Twitter, which contains footage of BBC journalist Dan Roan questioning Premier League chief Richard Masters about the club’s takeover deal.
As part of the interview, more of which can be found on BBC Sport, Roan questions Masters about whether the Premier League can approve the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover bid for Newcastle, given certain issues that hang over the deal.
In rebuttal, Masters gives little away, stating that the Premier League’s reviewing of the deal is a completely confidential process.
Roan relayed a snippet from the interview on Twitter, and fans of Newcastle flocked to have their say on the matter, with many calling for the journalist to stop meddling in the takeover deal.
Are you confident the takeover will be completed?
Yes
No
Can the Premier League really approve Saudi Arabia’s hugely controversial takeover bid for Newcastle Utd given the questions that surround the deal?
Here’s Premier League chief Richard Masters giving little away when I asked him about it #NUFC pic.twitter.com/WRDSvcEqbI— Dan Roan (@danroan) May 23, 2020
When was this @danroan and I belived you to be a sports reporter not a political one? Ps which football team do you support?
— Toon (@Toontweeter) May 23, 2020
Stop stirring things Dan. There’s a good chap
— Kate Stewart ????? (@KateStewart22) May 23, 2020
Hi Dan that was NOT very balanced and impartial ?
Two negative questions from you.
Shame you didn’t balance it up with a question about how excited the 97% of Newcastle fans are about the Takeover, or how it could be a big boost for Newcastle as a City and the North East region.— ?? King of Northumbria ?? (@Sandancer1977) May 23, 2020
Sheffield wed,Manchester utd both have Saudi interests, Chelsea have a Russian owner and Leicester have Chinese owners, it’s sport not politics.
— Bellringer1 (@Bellringer111) May 23, 2020
The BBC really don’t want this takeover to happen.
— The Rise of NUFC (@riseofnufc) May 23, 2020
In an interview about project restart why did you feel the need to ask questions about a takeover of a club? Seems to me like your stirring the pot about dan.
— JordxnT (@JxrdanT97) May 23, 2020
That is not impartial reporting and you should be ashamed. When have you asked questions about Mike Ashley and his abysmal treatment of the club. Or maybe run an article on how the club still have no plans to refund fans tickets for matches they won’t get too.
— John Winterburn (@johnboy197832) May 23, 2020
Selective journalism at its finest.
— Gary wakefield (@Garywakefield9) May 23, 2020
What do we think?
While some of these Newcastle fans appear to have taken Roan’s line of questioning as biased, it could be argued that, as a journalist, he is simply asking Masters questions that are extremely relevant in regards to the club’s takeover, and potentially even ones that Newcastle fans would like to hear the answers to.
However, despite Masters’ apparent refusal to give anything away on the matter in response to Roan’s questioning, recent reports in The Sun have suggested that the Premier League are set to give the takeover deal the nod, and, as such, it would appear that it is a matter of when, rather than if, the Newcastle takeover deal will get the green light.