The Athletic’s Matt Slater appeared on the latest edition of the ‘Football Today’ podcast where he spent some time discussing the ongoing Saudi-backed Newcastle United takeover bid.
Back in April, The Guardian reported that the Premier League’s checks had begun with regard to approving this Saudi-backed Toon takeover bid and at the time, they claimed that these checks ‘normally take two weeks.’ That report is now almost three months old and as per Chronicle Live, the Toon’s prospective buyers are still waiting for the Premier League’s approval to complete their takeover of the club.
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According to the BBC, the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) ruling that Saudi Arabia ‘helped’ pirate television broadcaster beoutQ to breach international piracy laws has ‘complicated’ the ongoing Saudi-backed Toon takeover bid and that may explain why the Premier League’s checks have been going on for longer than normal. Due to these links between the Saudi government and piracy, Qatari broadcaster BeIN Sports have reportedly asked the Premier League to block this Saudi-backed Toon takeover attempt.
During his recent appearance on the Football Today podcast, Slater discussed what he believed could be the “best-case scenario” for this takeover.
The journalist said: “The best-case scenario would be you deal with BeIN’s immediate problems; you use the leverage you have over the Saudis right now, who want to buy one of our clubs.
“You say to them: ‘Look, sort out your issues around BeIN’, really shut down BeoutQ as opposed to dancing around the edges, take some responsibility for what’s happened over the last three years, yes you can have your football club, yes you can invest in Newcastle United, and who knows? The next time the rights come up in the Middle East and North of Africa, why don’t you form a Saudi-based, legitimate version of BeIN and then we’ll have a bidding contest. Everyone’s a winner there.”
Do you think that this 'best-case scenario' for the Toon's Saudi-backed takeover will occur?YES, I THINK SO
NO, I DON'T THINK SO
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TIF Thoughts…
While the WTO’s ruling on the Saudi government’s involvement in piracy is said to have ‘complicated’ the Toon takeover deal, it appears as though Slater does believe that it may be possible for the Premier League and the would-be owners of Newcastle United to come to an agreement that may suit all parties involved.
The journalist’s comments on this “best-case scenario” may be positive for Toon fans who might be excited by the prospect of the club’s unpopular owner Mike Ashley leaving.