Newcastle United takeover 'under threat' amid piracy row

Financier Amanda Staveley, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and billionaire property investors David and Simon Reuben, has agreed a £300million deal for the club.

The proposed deal is with the Premier League for their owners’ and directors’ test, and broadcaster beIN Sports last month lodged an objection to the takeover on the grounds of TV piracy in Saudi Arabia. This, according to the Daily Mail, has “complicated” the process that had been expected to end in approval for the deal.

BeIN Sports chief executive Yousef Al-Obaidly said in a letter to the Premier League: “It’s no exaggeration to say that the future economic model of football is at stake.”

Amnesty International have also objected to the deal because of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. Staveley and her backers, however, remain confident that the proposed deal will pass the Premier League’s test.