Kieran Maguire: Newcastle United controversy to rage after new Downing Street twist
The controversy surrounding the Newcastle United takeover is unlikely to abate any time soon.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the UK Government’s handling of the £305million buyout.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund are ostensibly not connected to the Saudi state, according to the terms of the deal signed off by the Premier League’s legal department last October.
But it is a matter of public record that Boris Johnson personally liaised with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman about the takeover.
Per the Daily Mail last Saturday (21 May), the Prime Minister’s office is now refusing to release relevant correspondence between himself and former envoy to Saudi Ken Costa.
The newspaper has lodged a Freedom of Information appeal and insists the correspondence is in the public interest.
Maguire envisages that the battle between Newcastle and their critics will rage on for the foreseeable.
“As far as the Government is concerned, this is a private correspondence,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“They value Saudi Arabia as a trading partner and want that relationship to continue with trust from both parties. That means a degree of privacy.
“There are critics of the acquisition, and I think people are going to get further entrenched in their views with regards to this.
“Newcastle fans will feel this is old news being rehashed. Critics meanwhile will say that, if they have got nothing to hide, why aren’t they being more transparent?
“I don’t think the story is going to develop further, but I think it will continue to be used as a stick to beat Newcastle with.”
The Magpies’ away kit next season is set to feature a green and white colour scheme, the same as the Saudi national team.
Eddie Howe’s side, who finished 11th in 2021-22, visited the kingdom during the winter break in January.
In other news, Leeds United and Newcastle United in race to sign Nathan Collins.