'They want the biggest and best of everything'  – the inside track on what Newcastle United fans can expect in any Saudi-financed takeover

While the sovereign wealth fund-financed deal - PIF are lined up to buy an 80% stake in the football club - has many fans dreaming of riches, everyone is in the dark with regards what new owners might bring to the table on Tyneside.

PIF runs the world's most profitable company on the planet - Saudi Aramco - and the combined wealth of the potential news owners runs in hundreds of billions - but does that mean the Magpies will see a cash spurge, or a rush of riyals at St James's Park?

Once sports industry professional believes if the Saudis are involved they're not going to mess about.

Boxing supremo Eddie Hearn, who has very recent first-hand experience of dealing with the Saudi royal family and sports ministry, thinks the Magpies will become major players in the Premier League with PIF at the helm.

Speaking back in February Hearn, who took the Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua roadshow to Diriyah, on the outskirts of Riyadh, in December for a world heavyweight title fight against Andy Ruiz Jnr, thinks the post-Ashley Magpies will be in for an exciting ride.

“They love their combat sports but football? Another thing altogether. But they are major players in everything they do,” said Hearn, who was linked, with father Barry Hearn, as a possible fixer in the Saudi deal - a claim he refuted to the Gazette.

“They are not around to mess around.

“And if they get involved in a football club, they are going to be spending money. They are not short of money, put it that way.

“It is one for a supporter – how do you feel about being taken over by a Saudi Arabian consortium? Well, we know that once we get over that, we are going to be major players.

“If they come in, they will make sure Newcastle are major players.”

Hearn and Joshua were accused of taking part in what Amnesty International call ‘sportswashing’ by staging their last fight in the kingdom, and the same has already been levelled at any potential influx of sovereign wealth fund cash to the Premier League.

Joshua’s promoter has absolutely no qualms about taking Joshua or any other fighter in his stable back to Saudi – and he thinks Newcastle fans will feel the same should PIF buy out Ashley.

“There are always concerns when you do international business but we got a lot of criticism. There was the human rights, etc, etc. All I can say was that our experience from start to finish was absolutely first class. Everything they promised us, they delivered,” said Hearn.

“They do have a lot of money and that makes a big difference.

“I can't speak highly enough of our experience with the Saudis.”

Hearn continued: “We will take Joshua back there. We have partnerships with the people out there.

“They want the biggest of everything, the best of everything. They don't want small fights, they want the biggest fights out there.

“This is why when it comes to a football club, they won't settle for anything but buying something and making it the biggest club.

“They [Newcastle] could do worse.”