Newcastle United’s takeover will be passed this week, according to beIN Sports anchor Richard Keys.
The controversial and divisive former Sky Sports presenter delivered this update in a recent blog post on his website, where he goes on to question the validity of Saudi Arabia purchasing a Premier League club.
Who do you trust most in this takeover saga?
The Chronicle
The Athletic
The Telegraph
The Sun
Keys claims that the Premier League will approve the £300m deal “any day now” and that “it’ll happen Friday” – presumably he means the official announcement but boy, have we been here more than once before in the past three-to-four months.
The 63-year-old said:
“And any day now the PL will nod through the Saudi bid for Newcastle. This is not for the Newcastle Chronicle because they promised some time ago not to quote me – but I’m told it’ll happen Friday.
“It’ll happen not because the Saudi’s are ‘fit and proper’. There is no formula by which they, collectively or individually, pass any of the PL’s tests in that respect. No, it’ll happen because the British Govt want it to.”
Keys has regularly been an opponent to the deal, which is hardly a surprise given that he’s employed by a Qatari sports network but for once, the Magpies faithful may want to listen to his words as they offer some sort of positivity – if true, of course.
The Saudi Kingdom has pledged to clamp down on issues or piracy within the country, which has not only angered the Premier League as their games are broadcast illegally, but beIN too as they hold the rights for the MENA region.
Meaning services like beoutQ have been profiting off the back of Qatar’s investment.
It’s all murky waters which is undoubtedly the reason why the saga has rumbled on for so long, though hopefully, Keys’ words ring true for the only time we’ll want them to.