Football finance expert Kieran Maguire claims Newcastle United will be "pleased" Saudi Media Group's approach to buy Chelsea was not included in the final shortlist of new owners. The Blues owner Roman Abramovich has been forced into selling the club due to sanctions imposed by the UK Government relating to his links to Vladimir Putin after war broke out in Ukraine.
Sky Sports claim the Saudi Media Group lodged a £2billion bid to buy the club, but their offer was not included in a final shortlist. Maguire argues that Newcastle will be pleased a 'Saudi-derby' will not take place in the Premier League.
He adds that additional Saudi owned clubs in the Premier League would have made Newcastle's project more challenging. Maguire told Football Insider: “I think they will be pleased if it doesn’t happen. I think Newcastle feel they have a fantastic relationship with PIF and don’t see any risk of dilution in the Premier League.
“However, at the same time, they might have felt that the ‘Saudi derby’ would perhaps take away from Newcastle’s achievements by themselves. Also if Chelsea are performing better, that hinders Newcastle’s attempts to create a collaborative fanbase and commercial partners in the Middle East.
“It wouldn’t have made Newcastle’s job impossible, but it would have made it more challenging.”
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