Who is Mohammed bin Salman? The staggering net worth of the multi-billionaire behind the Newcastle United Saudi takeover

He’s set to be the man bringing the money to the table, so here’s everything you need to know abut bin Salman:

WHO IS MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN?

Bin Salman is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and governs over the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia – the group who will be taking an 80 per cent stake in the club as part of these takeover plans.

While others put investments forward for his consideration, it is ultimately bin Salman who controls PIF and can veto any potential investments.

He also takes on a number of political roles within his country, and currently acts as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence among a host of other appointments.

HOW MUCH IS HE WORTH?

Estimates suggest that bin Salman himself is worth around £7billion – although this is thought to be a conservative estimate.

Indeed, the wealth of his family is believed to be somewhere in the region of £1.3trillion, with the Saudi ruling family among the wealthiest groups in the world.

The PIF group are believed to be worth around £260billion.

WHAT OTHER BUSINESS HAS BIN SALMAN INVESTED IN?

Through PIF, bin Salman has invested in a number of different ventures – the most notable of which is transportation firm Uber.

This will be his first major investment into the sporting world although, interestingly, the Saudi Arabian second tier is named after him.

WHY DOES HE WANT TO BUY NEWCASTLE UNITED?

According to reports, bin Salman is keen to enhance the reputation of his country in the Western world – and sees the world of sports and entertainment as a way to do this.

The PIF have also made no secret of their desire to branch into new business avenues too, having relied upon oil for a large period of time.

WILL HE BE INVOLVED IN A HANDS-ON ROLE AT NEWCASTLE UNITED?

It’s unlikely that bin Salman will be involved in a hands-on role at St James’s Park.

The Crown Prince is expected to delegate that running of the club to others – namely Amanda Staveley and Yasir Al-Rumayyan – but will sign-off on the initial deal and any subsequent investment.

WHO IS YASIR AL-RUMAYYAN?

Al-Rumayyan is the Governor of the Public Investment Fund, having been appointed in 2015.

He was handed a mandate by bin Salman to seek international investments with the potential to boost the Saudi economy – which is where Newcastle United comes in.

Essentially, Al-Rumayyan is responsible for identifying opportunities to recommend to bin Salman and then ensuring they deliver a strong return for the county.

Reports have suggested that the 50-year-old will sit on the board of Newcastle United once the takeover is completed.

DOES AL-RUMAYYAN HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN SPORT?

While he hasn’t worked in football before, Al-Rumayyan is a keen golfer.

Indeed, he has helped to accelerate the growth of the sport in his home country.