Clubs demand PL meeting after Saudi takeover

Premier League clubs are demanding a meeting with the PL bosses following the decision to allow the Newcastle takeover.

The BBC is reporting that “top-flight clubs have complained to the Premier League after it cleared the £305m takeover of Newcastle by a Saudi Arabian-backed group.”

It is known that there is  frustration from clubs about how the deal passed the owners’ and directors’ test.

The BBC  reports: ‘Concerns also arose as to why they were not kept informed after the surprise news emerged on Wednesday.

Additionally, there are worries as to how Saudi Arabian owners will reflect on the league itself.

There are many human rights issues linked to the kingdom.

Now clubs are demanding a meeting with the Premier League, which has previously said the takeover process would remain confidential.

There is claimed to be irritation with the Premier League board from all 19 other clubs, who are united in a view they should have been kept updated on an issue of such significance.

The clubs also feel they should have been told what had changed to allow the deal to proceed before it was completed.

When approving the takeover on Thursday, the Premier League said it has received legal assurances from the new owners that the Saudi state would not control Newcastle United and there would be punishments if it was proven otherwise.

The takeover was 80% financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, whose chair is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.’

And as reported by CandH yesterday Western intelligence agencies say he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an allegation Bin Salman denies.

ClaretandHugh says: The Premier League has put its clubs in an impossible situation which means that if they deal with Newcastle on any transfer deal they could become guilty by association  when taking money from an organisation linked to the dreadful human rights issues  The PL should be ashamed of itself – acting on behalf of  people who at the very least should have been given a say in what was happening given its seriousness. Now it finds  itself at odds with every club  it represents and by keeping the process confidential we all know what has gone off here.  This takeover should never have happened but it now seems impossible for anything whatsoever  can be done about this hideous situation. That the club are unanimously complaining is good and shows that those with decent values . Football now shares the dirtiest values in the modern world courtesy of the PL bosses. The lot of them need to resign now and never return.