NEWCASTLE UNITED'S Saudi has been CONFIRMED
The new Saudi owners have been given the all-clear by the Premier League after resolving a brutal dispute which saw Qatar-based beIN Sports have its feed across the Middle East hijacked.
And the takeover looks set to spell the end of Steve Bruce's time as Toon boss.
With the buyout announced, SunSport has also taken a look at the players the new owners could bring in, including Gareth Bale.
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- Justin Lawrence
SING A NEW TOON
The Saudis are coming to Toon and will transform Newcastle from into the richest club in the world in a flash.
Simply not being Mike Ashley is enough in itself to get the fans on board.
But after 14 years of Ashley there is a ton of work to do to turn around this sinking ship.
The Saudi billions provide unlimited potential, but money won’t change everything.
Here are seven things the new owners need to address immediately to hit the ground running and get the Magpies firing.
- FIND A NEW MANAGER
- START SQUAD OVERHAUL IN JANUARY
- SECURE SAINT-MAXIMIN
- IMPROVE ACADEMY & TRAINING FACILITIES
- BRING IN LEGENDS LIKE KEEGAN & SHEARER
- REMOVE SPORTS DIRECT ADVERTISING
- ENGAGE WITH FANS
BIG AL
Newcastle United's Saudi takeover has been completed.
But what is known about their new chairman, Yasir Al-Rumayyan?
Yasir Al-Rumayyan was born in 1970 and graduated from King Faisal University in 1993. He later completed a general management programme at Harvard Business School.
Al-Rumayyan, 51, is governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) who along with Amanda Staveley of PCP Capital Partners and the Reuben brothers, have completed the Magpies purchase.
Al-Rumayyan is also chairman of the board of Saudi Aramco, the biggest oil company in the world.
The PIF group are believed to be worth a staggering £260BILLION, and have offices in London, New York and San Francisco.
BRUCE-D EGO
Steve Bruce could be on his way out of Newcastle following the club's £300m Saudi takeover that was announced today.
Bookies have already started offering odds on who will replace Bruce at St.James' Park.
Aside from comedic pair Ant and Dec, more serious contenders include
Eddie Howe the current favourite at 7/4.
With significant funds expected to be injected and high-profile transfers now within reach – Antonio Conte has come flying into contention at 9/2.
Chris Wilder and Graeme Jones are locked together at 5/1.
Rafa Benitez is available at 9/1 for a sensational return Tyneside, while Frank Lampard and Roberto Martinez share odds of 10/1.
Jose Mourinho and Steven Gerrard are priced at 14s with Unai Emery further back at 16/1.
- Justin Lawrence
RI-DEC-ULOUS
Ant and Dec are in the running to become Newcastle's next managerial duo (kind of).
That's right – the iconic television duo could swap Saturday Night Takeaway for Match of the Day with the pair priced at 250/1 to replace Steve Bruce at St James' Park!
The Toon's newly confirmed Saudi takeover has ended Mike Ashley's 14-year ownership, teeing up a significant cash windfall with the consortium's total wealth dwarfing that of Manchester City and PSG combined.
And without Ashley in his corner – current Toon boss Bruce could well become the first casualty of a new era on Tyneside.
Aside from Ant and Dec, there are a few more serious contenders for the role such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
- Justin Lawrence
NEW ERA
Amanda Staveley has revealed her excitement after finally spearheading the takeover of Newcastle United.
The 48-year-old has led the Saudi Arabia-backed consortium to the takeover of the Magpies since 2017.
And after much wrangling, the mega-connected businesswoman has finally been successful after the £300million deal was given the go-ahead.
Staveley, Chief Executive Officer of PCP Capital Partners, said: “This is a long-term investment. We are excited about the future prospects for Newcastle United.
“We intend to instill a united philosophy across the Club, establish a clear purpose, and help provide leadership that will allow Newcastle United to go on to big achievements over the long term.
“Our ambition is aligned with the fans – to create a consistently successful team that’s regularly competing for major trophies and generates pride across the globe.”
- Justin Lawrence
TOON ARMY
Newcastle United fans celebrate the sale of the club to the Consortium of Amanda Stavely, Jamie Rueben and PIF Scenes at St. James's Park, Newcastle as news of a takeover emerges on Thursday 7th October 2021.
Credit: Alamy - Justin Lawrence
OVER THE TOON
Newcastle's £300million Saudi takeover has been CONFIRMED – with Mike Ashley gone and Steve Bruce facing the axe.
The deal has been rubber-stamped by the Premier League, bringing an end to Ashley’s 14-year reign and transforming the Magpies into the richest club in the world.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will own 80 per cent, with the billionaire Reuben brothers and financier Amanda Staveley taking 10 per cent each.
Unpopular manager Steve Bruce is now set for the axe with the new owners wanting a fresh start as Newcastle sit 19th in the table.
In a flash, the Toon now have the wealthiest owners in world football – worth a staggering £320BILLION – dwarfing the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
- Justin Lawrence
SARD DEAL
Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a swoop for Zenit Saint-Petersburg star Sardar Azmoun as a replacement for Alexandre Lacazette.
Lacazette’s contract is coming to an end and the Gunners reckon Azmoun can fill his boots, according to Sports Witness.
The Iranian 19-year-old striker has already scored six times in 12 games this season for Zenit, so he’ll bring plenty of firepower to The Emirates.
However, the North London side face stiff competition from Italian clubs AC Milan and Roma, who Witness claim are also interested in Azmoun.
- Justin Lawrence
PREM ACE BAILED
Brighton ace Yves Bissouma has been bailed after being arrested and marched out of a nightclub in the early hours of yesterday.
The in-form Brighton midfielder, 25, spent the day in custody after being arrested in the city.
Shocked revellers told how they saw Premier League ace Bissouma being marched out of a packed nightclub in handcuffs by police officers.
Sussex Police today confirmed a man in his 20s and a man in his 40s had been released after the arrest on October 6.
A spokesperson said: "A man in his 40s and a man in his 20s, both from Brighton, were arrested and have been released on conditional bail until November 3 while enquiries continue."
- Jake Lambourne
RAM OUT
Aaron Ramsey will reportedly be put on the transfer list by Juventus in Jauary due to his whopping wages.
The Welsh midfielder has cost the Serie A giants a staggering £4,000 per minute since he arrived from Arsenal in 2019, which has risen to just over £11,000 this season, according to Calciomercato.
Calciomercato also claim the eye-watering amount Juve have to pay the 30-year-old ex-Gunner every sixty seconds works out to be a yearly sum of £6.8million.
And Massimiliano Allegri's side aren't willing to continue forking out such a hefty figure to a player who's only racked up a meagre 68 appearances in all competitions since his arrival.
Ramsey hasn't fared much better this season, making just two Serie A starts and one in the Champions League for the Bianconeri.
Ramsey still has two years on his contract with Juve, and they're even willing to let him go for free to balance the books.
- Jake Lambourne
MO WAY
PSG are considering a shock bid for Liverpool ace Mo Salah, according to reports.
The French giants are reportedly prepared to reignite their summer interest and land the Egyptian as a replacement for Kylian Mbappe.
The Egyptian is out of contract in 2023 and is reportedly demanding up to £380,000-a-week to extend his Anfield stay.
Salah, 29, is looking for wages that would make him the Reds' highest earner.
But PSG are ready to swoop and take him to Paris if Mbappe leaves, according to Fabrizio Romano.
He told Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel: "From what I am told, PSG were studying the possibility of recruiting Salah early in the summer, in June, if Mbappe was sold to Real Madrid.
"They were prepared to do something big, and they wanted to try it out with Salah."
- Jake Lambourne
SACK RACE
Steve Bruce's tenure as Newcastle manager is drawing towards a conclusion.
That's according to Sky Bet, who've made Bruce odds-on favourite to be the second Premier League manager sent packing this season.
The Toon boss was available at 3/1 at the beginning of the week.
But that price has crashed to odds-on 1/3 as the club's long-awaited Saudi takeover inches towards completion.
A long-standing row over TV piracy has been resolved, bringing an end to 18 months of deadlock after Mike Ashley initially agreed to sell in April 2020.
The Saudi-led consortium will have an 80 per cent controlling stake and with Ashley out of the picture – Bruce could be the first casualty of a new era on Tyneside.
- Jake Lambourne
AUR WRONG
Serge Aurier would NEVER sign for Arsenal because he has 'too much respect' for his former club Spurs.
The Ivory Coast right-back joined LaLiga side Villarreal this week, having been a free agent since terminating his Tottenham deal by mutual consent.
He wrote on Instagram: “I have never seen myself at another club in England!
"I didn’t see myself joining the enemy because I have too much respect for our club, for our history and for all our moments shared together.”
Aurier was linked with a move across North London but instead opted to reunite with Unai Emery after working with the former Gunners boss at Paris Saint-Germain.
- Jake Lambourne
SAUDI STING
Amnesty International demanded the Premier League “overhaul their standards” regarding human rights after the Saudi takeover of Newcastle.
The £300million leaves the Saudi Public Investment Fund, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, owning 80 per cent of the Magpies.
Bin Salman has been implicated in approving the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Human rights organisation Amnesty international stated the deal was an attempt to “sportswash their appalling human rights record with the glamour of top-flight football.”
And CEO Sacha Deshmukh said: “Instead of allowing those implicated in serious human rights violations to walk into English football simply because they have deep pockets, we've urged the Premier League to change their owners' and directors' test to address human rights issues.
"The phrase 'human rights' doesn't even appear in the owners' and directors' test despite English football supposedly adhering to Fifa standards.
"As with Formula One, elite boxing, golf or tennis, an association with top-tier football is a very attractive means of rebranding a country or person with a tarnished reputation.
“The Premier League needs to better understand the dynamic of sportswashing and tighten its ownership rules.”
- Jake Lambourne
STER IT UP
Raheem Sterling will reject any bids to sign England star Raheem Sterling in January.
And the champions remain focused on persuading the 26-year-old to sign a new deal.
Sterling has less than two years on his contract and talks over a fresh one are on hold.
That has put a big question mark over his long-term future at City, where he has been for six years.
SunSport reported on Tuesday that Barcelona are monitoring the situation and could make a cheeky loan bid in the new year.
The hard-up Catalan giants know Sterling has expressed an interest in playing in Spain at some point in his career and hope that could tip the balance in their favour.
Anything they come up with will be knocked back by City though.
- Jake Lambourne
TABLE TOPPERS
Newcastle will have the wealthiest owners in world football by some distance once their £300million takeover finally goes through.
The Toon are on the brink of being in the hands of a Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund worth a staggering £320BILLION after the Gulf state's piracy row with neighbours Qatar finally ended.
Providing the deal is structured similarly to the original offer, Yasir Al-Rumayyan – a close associate of Saudi royalty Mohammed bin Salman – will become new chairman, with his powerful friend also backing the Magpies’ takeover.
Following the deal’s completion, the Saudi consortium are expected to own 80 per cent of the club – with Amanda Staveley and the Reuben brothers evenly splitting the remaining 20 per cent.
And just to highlight just how much money will be poured into Newcastle, SunSport have compared them against the richest football club owners across the globe.
- Jake Lambourne
WIL TO JOIN
Newcastle hope to poach Manchester City's academy director Jason Wilcox after their Saudi takeover is complete, according to reports.
Managing director Lee Charnley is also expected to be one of the first casualties of the new regime.
Wilcox, 50, enjoyed a successful playing career – winning the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers as well as spells at Leeds and Leicester.
He also won three England caps under Terry Venables. The Englishman was made City's academy director in 2017.
And he has become a vital part of their youth development programme since.
But the Etihad outfit face losing him, according to the Telegraph, which would come as a huge blow.
- Jake Lambourne
BRU WHAT?
Steve Bruce's job at Newcastle is reportedly hanging by a thread, amid the news that the club's Saudi takeover is set to go ahead.
Following the Saudi government's decision to lift its ban on Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports, the controversial takeover is expected to be completed imminently.
Fans are already dreaming of big-money star signings like Kylian Mbappe.
But they also wish Bruce would leave the club with it revealed this week that 94 per cent of Newcastle Supporters Trust members want him gone.
And they could now get their wish.
Eddie Howe, Graeme Jones and Chris Wilder are among the favourites to get the job if Bruce is to go – but they are joined by a host of other more glamorous names.
Click HERE for more.
- Jake Lambourne
ALL ABOARD
Newcastle star Allan Saint-Maximin has responded to news of the club's controversial Saudi takeover on Twitter.
The £300million deal is back ON after the Saudi government resolved their dispute with Qatari broadcaster BeINSports.
Fans have been dreaming of completing several big money signings to gain a place among the Premier League's elite.
And it appears they aren't the only ones.
Saint-Maximin, 24, didn't specifically reference the takeover.
But with social media awash with reports of the deal's imminent status, he posted a video featuring a man saying 'good morning' before laughing hysterically.
- Jake Lambourne
TIM'S UP
Timo Werner admits he's 'not satisfied' at Chelsea – but denies he's angling for a transfer away.
His form as well as a change of agent has seen him linked with a move away from Chelsea.
He told express.de: "The last few weeks have been difficult at Chelsea.
"After many years, I was suddenly a little behind and had to fight my way again.
"A career always goes up and down, never steadily upwards. But you learn to deal with it.
"I have to bite into it again, that challenges me. Of course, I would like to enjoy more minutes, so I give my best in training."
- Jake Lambourne
COR BLIMEY
Wolves winger Francisco Trincao has tested positive for Covid-19 and is in danger of missing his side's trip to Aston Villa on Saturday week.
The 21-year-old summer signing from Barcelona is self-isolating after he tested positive, ahead of Portugal's double-header against Qatar and Luxembourg.
Trincao was a late call-up to the Portuguese squad after Benfica's Rafa Silva pulled out.
However his hopes of adding to his seven caps were wrecked when he returned a positive rapid test on arrival at the Portuguese base – followed by a positive PCR test.
- Jake Lambourne
ON THE PAUL
Man Utd midfielder Paul Pogba has reportedly been mulling over a new deal at Old Trafford since July.
The French midfielder is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford and is free to talk to foreign clubs in January.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano tweeted: “Paul Pogba has a contract extension proposal on the table from Manchester United since last July.
“Long-term new deal and increased salary.
“But there’s NO final answer yet from Pogba side and his agent Raiola. Man Utd are waiting for his decision – pushing for months.”
- Jake Lambourne
HISTORY MAKER
England will have a woman refereeing their game for the first time EVER against Andorra.
Kateryna Monzul will be in charge for the Three Lions' World Cup Qualifier against the Euro minnows.
The 40-year-old Ukrainian took charge of her first international match in September 2005.
Monzul became the first referee to take charge of a Ukrainian top-flight game in 2016.
And in November 2020 she officiated in the Uefa Nations League clash between San Marino and Gibraltar.
Monzul was part of an all-female officiating team which made history by taking charge of the senior men's international.
She will have fellow Ukrainian women Maryna Striletska and Svitlana Grushko running the lines.
And the video assistant ref will be Stephanie Frappart from France.
- Jake Lambourne
EZE DOES IT
EXCLUSIVE – Ebere Eze is ahead of schedule in his recovery from an Achilles injury.
There were initial fears the Crystal Palace star, 23, would be out until the new year after sustaining the problem in training at the back end of last season.
But he is back running and doing ball work already – as he revealed himself in an online clip on Tuesday to the delight of fans.
That is earlier than the club expected and now there is an outside chance he could even return to action next month.
The Eagles will understandably be cautious with the attacking midfielder though and will look to integrate him slowly back into the first-team squad.
- Jake Lambourne
WHAT A TOON
Newcastle's controversial Saudi takeover is back ON after the country's government resolved its dispute with Qatari broadcaster BeINSports.
Amid news that the £300million deal is set to go through, Toon fans are already dreaming of what their star-studded team could look like after investment from what would be the world's richest owners.
Fans have long yearned for a competitive team at St James' Park. And they could finally get their wish.
A host of top managers have been linked with the post by bookies, including the likes of Antonio Conte and Frank Lampard.
And fans have even dreamed of signing Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Just for fun, let's take a look at how the Magpies could look next season after phase one of their Saudi-led backing.
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