The government of the United Kingdom has denied any involvement ‘at any point’ over a Saudi Arabia-backed group’s failed bid to buy Newcastle United.
Officials However acknowledged that meetings had taken place between the Foreign Office and the Premier League.
According to sources from Downing Street, a senior aide was asked to check on the progress of the deal but not intervene.
This is coming on the heels of a report that the prime minister was contacted after the £300m deal ran into difficulties.
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A government spokesman said: ‘While we welcome overseas investment, this was a commercial matter for the parties concerned and the government was not involved at any point in the takeover talks on the sale of Newcastle United.’
Newcastle United and the Premier League declined to comment.
The Saudi Arabian-led consortium, which included sovereign wealth fund PIF, PCP Capital Partners, and Reuben Brothers, had agreed to the deal to buy the club from Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley last April.
The takeover was being scrutinized under the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test as to whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would effectively have owned the club.
The prince had recently written to Boris Johnson saying he expected the Premier League to ‘correct and reconsider’ a ‘wrong‘ conclusion that he would have been in charge.
The PM’s official spokesman confirmed Mr. Johnson asked Lord Udny-Lister – a Middle East expert and a long-standing aide dating back to his days as London mayor – to check on the progress of the talks, but he did not ask him to intervene.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
