PIF ‘would sell’ Newcastle for one reason amid Liverpool takeover ‘rumours’, expert cash in verdict

It has been suggested that Newcastle United owners PIF would be open to selling the Premier League club in the future for one reason.

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia completed its takeover of Newcastle United towards the end of 2021.

Following the exit of unpopular former owner Mike Ashley, the mood at St James’ has been significantly boosted and Eddie Howe’s achieved immediate success as they returned to the Champions League ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

However, it has not all been plain sailing for Newcastle under PIF. Howe came under a lot of pressure last season as his side struggled in the Premier League while enduring an injury crisis.

The Magpies ended the campaign strongly as they finished seventh in the Premier League. This season, they started well but they suffered their first loss last weekend as they were beaten 3-1 by Fulham.

Since their takeover, Newcastle have generally acted brilliantly in the transfer market as they have rocketed up the Premier League table, but Profit and Sustainability rules have hindered them this year and this summer’s window was infuriating as they missed out on England international Marc Guehi.

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Amid potential PIF frustrations at Newcastle, former Everton chairman Keith Wyness claims they could sell the Magpies and buy Liverpool.

This comes after Liverpool owner John Henry ‘joined forces with PIF to broker the merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’ with talks being ‘held in New York earlier this month over a $1 billion injection into the PGA Tour from Saudi Arabia’.

Wyness said: “PIF would have to sell Newcastle if they were to come in at Liverpool.

“But we’re a long way from seeing how that would play out.

“At the moment, there’s lots of rumours that I’m hearing, because they’ve got lots of money.

“When you have money, all these rumours fly – you’re either taking over golf, as they’re doing with LIV, or taking over all sorts of sports.”

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In an interview with the i, Simon Chadwick – an expert on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East – commented on what it would take for PIF to sell Newcastle after their “opportunistic” purchase of the Premier League club as he compares them to Man City’s owners.

Chadwick said: “It was always a proper investment.

“You have to understand Saudis are more fiscally responsible, they’re more stringent in how they control finances and there is a kind of traditional investment logic in that if you spend £1 you want £2 back.

“The smash-and-grab mentality at Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester City is absolutely not the case at Newcastle. Just look at the considered development of the commercial team. The people they’ve brought in are experts with strong background in the areas they’ve been appointed in. It’s obvious to me that Saudi Arabia acquired an investment asset, not a vanity project.”

He added: “I’ve said for a while now that if there comes a point where they need to sell it they will sell it.”