New PIF claim made over Newcastle United takeover

The former Valencia general manager will get a director of football role at Barcelona should Joan Laporta win the club's presidential election.

However, Alemany had been lined up for a sporting director position at Newcastle by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, according to former Valencia marketing director Damia Vidagany

“There was a moment when the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund was going to buy Newcastle, and the person totally responsible, if this operation was carried out, was Mateu Alemany,” Vidagany told Marca. “’He was the person they’d chosen to take the club forward. He has always been clear that he wanted a sporting project.

“Going to Barca will be for him like touching Everest. It’s a tremendous challenge. The operation (at Newcasrtle) was not done, because the Premier League vetoed it.”

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