Newcastle United now owned by the PIF | PL receives "legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control NUFC" ;)

[Mindhunter]

Absolutely. You could argue that foreign investment is open to everyone and hence it is fair. But it's really not, the huge financial backing goes to clubs with a certain fan base, appeal, stadium and locations so at its heart its the same thing - it actively kills competition by creating another monster team others can't deal with and of course entry to that elite club is limited to the privileged few.

So it's a really good point you raise. Maybe this is more subtle (oh its another team not the format who cares) yet the values are the same but it's considered normal.

Exactly. The key agenda for the fans protesting against ESL was that the "game is moving away from its grassroots" not realizing that it already has.

They are in favor of the status quo because more money from sugar daddies means clubs don't have to globalize to grow their revenues. However, the status quo is more pernicious in its impact and will gradually edge out all the traditional big clubs that operate as a business as they can't keep up with wage inflation.

 

[nazanto]

If we look at City, they took 4 years for them to win PL since the Abu Dhabi take overs. With first 2 years they signed a lot but dross players. If this Saudi's learned from that, they might get Newcastle to win PL sooner than that and well it's no fun for us as United supporters.

 

[Tony247]

Happy for Newcastle. Big club. Was hoping saudis to take over united. Now only left with the taste of sour grapes in mouth.

 

[rotherham_red]

Without Fergie we've not won a thing though, unlike Liverpool who appear incredibly well run under their current owners and management team. Liverpool basically act more like United under Fergie then we do.

When City got took over everyone predicted they'd dominate and we'd be in trouble, which was dismissed by many. Well that's exactly how it's turned out in the long run.

Newcastle having money injected into their club will work better than City because of the fan base. This is not good news for us at all. They could catch us easily within 6-8 years I bet. If FFP falls apart and they find loopholes then it could be sooner. No doubt they'll have done their homework to deem it feasible, much like Everton and Villa owners.

A great manager covers all sorts of ills. These are the same people who thought that replacing Luis Suarez with Rickie Lambert was the way to go, after all.

Klopp is the only thing keeping them relevant and while I agree we have been a mess, it's not been because of a lack of want. We spend at a comparable level to City and Chelsea, and that's with the Glazers pulling the handbrakes up every once in a while.

We earn enough on our own to ensure that we remain competitive. Liverpool however, don't. FSG's modus operandi is to basically buy low and sell high. That is something that has increasingly diminishing returns the longer it goes on because other clubs twig on to the strategy, and their playbook in terms of analytics is already starting to be copied by the clubs around them. They don't spend huge amounts unless these purchases are partly funded by their sales. They are resorting to taking massive gambles on players like Konate, and despite their average squad age being 29+ they still haven't really done anything to regenerate the squad, other than Jota. Maybe Jones and that other kid too? But all of that will be for nought if and when Klopp leaves.

 

[duffer]

How much would Newcastle need to spend to win the league? £500 million if they have decent luck in the market?

They need to replace literally everyone in the squad and the coaching staff.

 

[Pep's Suit]

Liverpool didn't win anything for years then Roman and Sheikh Mansour happened and they won PL + CL twice. So no I don't have anything against another rich owner. If anything without them Premier League would be like Bundesliga now. Yes, Wenger would have had more 2nd / 3rd place finishes and more Cups on his CV but every Foden would be playing for United now so again: I don't support Saudis regime but if they buy Newcastle then that's fine for me. I already feel 100% disconnected from modern players and their PR teams and I definitely don't spend 80-100 pounds on terrible shirts all those companies produce now.

 

[dinostar77]

prestige. Sports washing. Diversification. Big one is most football clubs lose money….

Sports washing is a big one especially for owners of PSG and City.

Once the ESL happens and unfortunately it will. Values of the 'super clubs' will go through the roof. Huge profits for the owners.

 

[dinostar77]

How much would Newcastle need to spend to win the league? £500 million if they have decent luck in the market?

They need to replace literally everyone in the squad and the coaching staff.

Nah easily £1billion. That's what City have spent.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

If this goes ahead, I will be done with football.

Mate sent me this which I thought was good.

Instead of putting in place some measures which at least try and maintain some measure of financial equanimity – something with more teeth than FFP – they have pandered to the people with money who now ride roughshod over almost every aspect of the game. Broadcasting behemoths call the shots at the expense of fans; rich owners distort the transfer market; players and agents capitalise with lucrative contracts and wages; advertisers and marketers piggyback; gambling firms leech off punters with intense adverting campaigns, and we’re now seeing the rise of unregulated cryptocurrency makers using football as a way to sell their essentially worthless $h1tcoin to fans as they dress it up as some way of having influence. Ugh.

 

[Spoony]

Liverpool

Leicester as well. But it'll get more and more difficult. And Klopp is a great manager, I doubt they'd have been as successful with someone else. As for United we'll be there or thereabouts due to our revenue size.

 

[dinostar77]

This is an absolute joke. Fans would protest against ESL but would allow this to happen. Basically, clubs that don’t get oil money or a sugar daddy can’t hope to compete at all.

I remember a lot of fans here were belligerent towards others who wanted to join the EST simply because the current structure is unsustainable. What do they say now?

I never thought I would say this but if Saudi buys Newcastle and dope them financially then my interest in football is going to wane. It’s just a waste of time if this becomes a dick waving contest amongst shady billionaires.

Fans have no choice. A world cup every two years. A extremely dull and uncompetitive european super league. More smaller clubs going to the wall as the finanical divide gets larger.

Fans are irrelevant to these money grabbing vultures at UEFA/FIFA/Club owners. They will end up diluting their own product and off the goose that lays the golden egg.

One thing that annoys me is the stupidity of PL clubs who want the ESL. The only reason the Italian and Spainish clubs want it, is because they dont have a product as competitive and as enjoyable to watch for audiences worldwide as the PL. If they did they wouldnt entertain the idea of a ESL.

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

Happy for Newcastle. Big club. Was hoping saudis to take over united. Now only left with the taste of sour grapes in mouth.

How would you have stomached who the owners are?

 

[Infra-red]

How much would Newcastle need to spend to win the league? £500 million if they have decent luck in the market?

They need to replace literally everyone in the squad and the coaching staff.

If they bring in Conte and give him a blank cheque, £750m and three years might do it?

 

[Dr. StrangeHate]

If this goes ahead, I will be done with football.

Mate sent me this which I thought was good.

Instead of putting in place some measures which at least try and maintain some measure of financial equanimity – something with more teeth than FFP – they have pandered to the people with money who now ride roughshod over almost every aspect of the game. Broadcasting behemoths call the shots at the expense of fans; rich owners distort the transfer market; players and agents capitalise with lucrative contracts and wages; advertisers and marketers piggyback; gambling firms leech off punters with intense adverting campaigns, and we’re now seeing the rise of unregulated cryptocurrency makers using football as a way to sell their essentially worthless $h1tcoin to fans as they dress it up as some way of having influence. Ugh.

This is the only part you care about.

You didn't need to post the rest.

 

[Judas]

I look forward to players suddenly talking about the "project" that made them choose to move to Newcastle.

 

[Spoony]

How much would Newcastle need to spend to win the league? £500 million if they have decent luck in the market?

They need to replace literally everyone in the squad and the coaching staff.

I think that's probably a minimum. Anyway surely the Saudis will extend the ground as well.

 

[Rolledo]

My apathy towards football grows by the day. I used to soak up everything but that gradually reduced to only watching United. It’s just one big advert for gambling, Visit Dubai and shit watches. Needs to die and be remade.

Agreed. Used to watch loads, now United is about it. It just feels a bit broken and wrong.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Most football fans don't have any morals. I think it's time we just stated that as fact .

The Saudi regime is the most evil and corrupt probably in the entire world but if the Saudi investment fund helps Newcastle win a few trophies their fans won't care one bit.

People's rights being abused terribly on the other side of the planet and people being murdered at the will of MBS or Newcastle in the CL most seasons and no more Mike Ashley? What do you think their fans will choose?

It's rather sad that this is what football does to people but it can't be escaped from. I'm yet to see a Newcastle fan to be against this deal.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

More fuel for the ESL. feck the FA, UEFA & FIFA.

Newcastle fans celebrating inevitability, feck me

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Most football fans don't have any morals. I

I think loads do.

 

[Infra-red]

Leicester as well. But it'll get more and more difficult. And Klopp is a great manager, I doubt they'd have been as successful with someone else. As for United we'll be there or thereabouts due to our revenue size.

Very little between United and Liverpool in terms of revenue now. United were £20m ahead in FY2020 (£509m vs £489m). We may even have fallen behind them in FY2021.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

I think loads do.

I hope so. However I'm yet to see a single Newcastle fan be against this.

Not ever met a City fan against the UAE either despite their shady human rights records.

I think you're wrong with loads. Most football fans care about their club and nobody else.

 

[Spoony]

Very little between United and Liverpool in terms of revenue now. United were £20m ahead in FY2020 (£509m vs £489m). We may even have fallen behind them in FY2021.

How's that happened then? Oh well time to get North Korea to buy us.

 

[duffer]

If they bring in Conte and give him a blank cheque, £750m and three years might do it?

I can't see it happening that fast.

Chelsea won the league a year after Roman took over but we were already a champions League team and nobody else was really spending as big at the time.

Man City took four years to win the league after their 2008 takeover and they had the likes of Kompany already in the side.

If Newcastle do start spunking loads, they've got to buy a whole new squad and they're up against at least 3 sides who are already spending huge money.

 

[cyberman]

Very little between United and Liverpool in terms of revenue now. United were £20m ahead in FY2020 (£509m vs £489m). We may even have fallen behind them in FY2021.

But that’s struggling to get top 4 v Liverpool who literally won everything in those 2 years prior.
It’s really not close in real world terms

 

[Real Name]

In any case they'll probably win the CL before City does.

 

[Hughes35]

Really bad news for Utd.

The Saudis make Abu Dhabi look like peasants. The money they can, and will throw at this will be insane. We simply can't compete...... and we already haven't really been competing on the pitch for a long time.

City and Newcastle are the new top dogs. Newcastle Utd - 2027 CL and PL winners..... Heard it here first.

 

[Smores]

I'm completely against such ownership and if it was United I'd be really uncomfortable.

However i don't get the objection to the injection of cash. It feels a bit protectionist to cry foul because another club may have a similar budget to us soon. People saying a Leicester will never win again as if we haven't been the ones with excessive spending stopping those type of surprises.

 

[duffer]

Are there any Newcastle United fans on here? My mind is drawing a blank.

 

[JJ12]

Newcastle, Chelsea and City top 3 for years to come.

Well done to all involved.

 

[duffer]

How long before Ant and Dec are wheeled out to comment?

 

[Tony247]

It will be very tough for united but not end of the world. We have sufficient financial power. But we need excellent recruitment strategy and intelligent manager.

 

[Judas]

With the money behind them it is simply inventible that they become champions and a top 3 league. It'll feel quite hollow and bizarre and that's just from someones perspective who has always had a soft spot for Newcastle due to going to their games a couple of times a year and being in the city when I was younger. No idea how their fans feel overall, I know a few who feel quite conflicted, happy to be rid of Ashley but a bit embarrassed this is the resolution to that particular problem.

 

[Wheato]

This would be a game changer. Could potentially blow everyone out of the water.

 

[Sandikan]

While it is alarming, and no-one needs another oil team blowing the league apart, the fees involved now will mean they can't do it as quickly as Chelsea and City did.

They'll be shopping in the B leagues for a bit, and it'll be a while before the 60-80m players want to get there.
And as we've seen for years, it's not just about the money, they'll have to get the manager AND recruitment spot on.

Plus they're also competing with us, City, Chelsea, PSG etc for the players.

 

[sewey89]

Another team to stop Liverpool winning the league at least..?

I don't mind Newcastle, i'd much rather this happen to them than when it happened to City. Obviously it's not good news for United as there is another challenger but it's going to happen more and more.

I hope Ashley gives Bruce a 30 year contract as his final act.

 

[UnitedFan93]

If this takeover accelerates the Glazers departure from the club then I'm all for it.

 

[sewey89]

This would be a game changer. Could potentially blow everyone out of the water.

Looking at that list proves though that being rich doesn't necessarily mean you'll do well by the club. Kroenke being worth more than PSG's owner is proof of that

 

[sewey89]

If this takeover accelerates the Glazers departure from the club then I'm all for it.

Why would it?

 

[stevoc]

Aren't there any english billionaire interested in Football?

Why most of these billionaires spending cash in EPL are foreigners?

I assume because the vast majority of English billionaires are businessmen and buying a football club isn't the best way to invest a few hundred million if you're looking to turn a profit. These middle eastern regimes aren't buying football clubs to make money.