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By Keith Downie, Northeast Reporter for Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 09/09/20 8:28 pm
Amanda Staveley once again failed to complete Mike Ashley’s Newcastle purchase
Newcastle has criticized the Premier League after it officially rejected the acquisition of the club by Saudi-backed Amanda Staveley.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, who has been looking to sell the Northeast club for more than a year, is understood to be considering his legal options.
Ashley is also understood to be extremely frustrated with the process, as she tried to resuscitate conversations about a possible sale.
Staveley has twice failed to complete a Newcastle acquisition, having previously been unsuccessful in their attempts to buy the club in 2017.
A statement from Newcastle read: “Newcastle United can confirm that the Premier League has rejected a takeover bid made by PCP Capital Partners, Reuben Brothers and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) based on its Owners and Directors test. .
Ashley is understood to be considering her legal options.
“This conclusion was reached despite the club providing the Premier League with overwhelming evidence and legal opinions that the PIF is independent and autonomous from the government of Saudi Arabia.
“The club and its owners do not accept that Premier League CEO Richard Masters and the Premier League have acted appropriately on this matter and will be considering all relevant options available to them.”
“Mike Ashley understands the frustrations of the fans and would like to assure them that he is fully committed to ensuring that this acquisition process is completed, as he felt it was in the best interest of the club.
Staveley also failed in his attempts to buy Newcastle in 2017
“Mike continues to fully support Steve Bruce, the players and the entire staff and wishes them all the best for the upcoming season.”
Sky Sports News They have reached out to the Premier League for comment.
Ashley is currently in Newcastle spending time with manager Steve Bruce and the club’s managing director, Lee Charnley.
He flew in by helicopter Wednesday afternoon to meet the club’s three new signings: Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser and Jamal Lewis.
Masters feels sympathy for Newcastle fans
In a taped interview on Wednesday prior to the release of Newcastle’s statement, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters insisted that he had great sympathy for the club’s fans.
“In a situation like a takeover, there should be a natural expectation of confidentiality, but there is also an expectation among fans that they need to keep up with what is happening and sometimes that is not always possible,” he said. Masters. Sky Sports News.
“I sympathize with the Newcastle fans so we made the decision to speak briefly with the Newcastle Supporters’ Trust members and answer some of their questions and write an open letter to some of the MPs explaining, where possible, some of the problems we faced were complicated.
“That’s one of the reasons it took maybe a little longer than normal, which is why we are already looking at the owners and directors test.
“We were looking at it in more general terms because of some of the incidents related to the Bury takeover last year, the select committee hearing that happened around that and that project will continue.
“We will work with the FA and the EFL on the event itself and we will also think about the issue of transparency and communication with fans.”
Jamal Lewis joined Newcastle from Norwich for £ 15 million earlier this week.
Bruce praises club owners for recruiting
Bruce says Ashley and Charnley worked “tremendously hard” to secure the signings of Lewis, Wilson and Fraser.
Newcastle announced on Tuesday the arrival of left-back Lewis from Norwich for £ 15m, while former Bournemouth forward Wilson and free agent Fraser arrived at St James’ Park earlier in the week.
“I never had to twist anyone’s arm,” Bruce said. Sky Sports News. “I think what happened with Dwight put us in a place where nobody wants to be, because you don’t want your center forward, who did very well towards the end of last season, to get injured.
“In the conversations I had with Lee, we talked about how we could get someone to improve us, especially the forwards, and what I wanted was for them to be a bit tested in the Premier League.”
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