Newcastle United fans have responded with delight and human rights campaigners with dismay after a Saudi-backed consortium finally completed its takeover of the Tyneside club.
The £300m deal, which ends the ill-fated 14-year tenure of Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley, will see Saudi Arabia‘s Public Investment Fund take an 80% stake, with the remainder held by PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media.
Here we look at the groups and people behind the controversial buyout of Newcastle United.
Saudi Public Investment Fund
This is the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia and one of the largest in the world.
Valued at around £315bn, it is tasked with investing funds raised from the sale of oil on behalf of the government.
The takeover was confirmed by the Premier League after it said it had received “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control the football club, one of the main stumbling blocks to a deal.
Be the first to comment