Newcastle takeover 'will not be stopped' by Premier League despite £300m deal stalling

Newcastle fans are hoping their takeover is completed as soon as possible.

Posted Tuesday, June 09, 2020 by Express.co.uk

The Premier League will struggle to stop Newcastle's £300m takeover, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan claims. Toon owner Mike Ashley has agreed to sell the club to PCP Capital Partners, an organisation backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

However, the takeover has stalled in recent weeks.

There is a lot of opposition to the deal, with many urging the Premier League to reject the takeover bid.

The World Trade Organisation also ruled Saudi Arabia was behind pirate streams of Premier League football in another hurdle stopping the deal.

However, Jordan says the Premier League won't stop the takeover.

When asked whether the deal will go through, Jordan told talkSPORT: “I’ve never thought that it wouldn’t.

“The first challenge was the mile outrage about the Saudi Arabian regime and people within the confines of the Premier League objecting to it – but that moral outrage is difficult to control as that’s the government’s job to deal with.

“The next one is around the regime being involved in piracy but I believe it’s going to be very, very difficult to stop this takeover.

“I think that right now they’re getting their ducks in a line with broadcasters and with finances and given the nature of public scrutiny, people have got a lot of time on their hands to really scrutinise the transaction.

“There are regimes that are also not the most ideal regimes and I believe Newcastle fans have a right to want these owners that they want – and I think they’ll get them.

“I don’t have any anticipation that the Premier League will stop this acquisition.

Mike Ashley has agreed to sell the club

“They might use it as great leverage to see if any mechanism to stop piracy of their rights by beIN Sports.”

A lot has been made of Newcastle's transfer plans following the takeover, with ex-Toon goalkeeper Shay Given saying their squad will be overhauled.

“It’s possibly harder now compared to City with the financial fair play,” Given said. “I think they’ve tightened up since Man City have come in.

“But Newcastle have a decent team as it is. If they add four, five, six really good players to that they could be in the top six or seven. Then if they add another six or seven players, they can get up there eventually.

“Newcastle already have the stadium. The city would be buzzing and the fans would be queueing out the gate to get in.

“It’s a small world now with planes, trains and helicopters. It’s not that difficult to get to Newcastle.

“Once you get one or two big names in the door, then there’s a few more thinking, ‘If he’s joining, I want to go as well’.

“It’s exciting hearing about some of the players maybe coming to the club.

“Gareth Bale got a mention the other day, Kalidou Koulibaly too.”