PREMIER - PL chief executive speaks on Newcastle takeover

Published on: 26 November 2021

Richard Masters says he is "comfortable and happy" that the Saudi state will not interfere with the administration of Newcastle United in his first public comments since the handover of the keys to St James Park.

The Premier League's chief executive believes that following an investigation, the PL was satisfied that there is a corporate difference between Saudi PIF and Saudi state: 'There is a corporate difference between the two,' he says.

Richard Masters further indicated that the Premier League had received "legally binding guarantees" from the Saudi government that the club would not be controlled by the Saudi government and that the new Newcastle United owners could be removed if "proof to the contrary" was found.

“There is a corporate difference between the two, there is.

“That is what we were investigating – whether the Saudi state could control the club through the investment fund.

“We have received assurances that is not the case.”

“The [Newcastle United] takeover has gone through and we have to be comfortable that all the things we do at the Premier League will be preserved under the new ownership and the equality and diversity scheme will be preserved.

“You can’t have one rule for one and one for another and so Newcastle will be run on the right basis.

“PIF are an investor in many other companies in this country and maybe football is being targeted and talked about in a different way.

“I can’t choose who is chairing a football club.

“The owners test doesn’t let us take a view on that.”

Source: transfermarketweb.com

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