LONDON, Oct 8 ― Newcastle United fans have long dreamed of ridding the club of owner Mike Ashley, but a potential £300 million takeover backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund presents fans on Tyneside with a different dilemma.
But an influx of Saudi cash could herald a new era for one of England's most passionately supported clubs, who can boast attendances often above 50,000 despite decades of failure. “Under this ownership there has been no ambition, effectively no investment and no hope for a sporting entity that hasn't been a sporting entity. It's been there to survive and nothing more.”He briefly handed his company, Sports Direct, naming rights to the club's St James' Park stadium in 2011, while there have been several disputes over ticket prices and refunds for matches played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The controversial Newcastle takeover bid hit the rocks last year after an outcry from Qatar-based beIN Sports, a major television rights holder of the Premier League, which was banned by Saudi Arabia in 2017. The country faced international condemnation following the brutal murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate three years ago.