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Newcastle United could do deal with major Saudi company as £83m-a-year confirmation

Newcastle United have once again been linked with a company close to their owners, the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

After the takeover in October 2021, it w🎃as expected that Newcastle would strike deals with PIF-owned companies on mass.

It was this very reason that the 📖Premier Lea🅷gue’s rules on associated party transactions (APT), which have been challenged in the arbitration courts by Man City, were introdu𒊎ced.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

However, while Newcastle have struck several deals with companies withi🦂n PIF’s portfolio, the expected deluge has not yet arrived.

That could change, of course, and there are notable deals wit💧h Sela, Noon and others that are worth several million to the club each season.

If City’s challenge against the APT rules is successful, which contrary to some reports has🐎 not yet been confirmed, PIF could use their £700bn-strong portfolio to pump cash into Newcastle and bypass PSR.

And the 📖latest developments in Saudi Arabia when it comes to sports sponsorship and investment suggest that one firm in particular could be poised to be signed up.

Riyadh Air deal still on the cards for Newcastle

As Ne𓃲wcastle look to increase revenue in order to give themselves more bꦫreathing space under PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules), commercial income is becoming increasingly significant.

Unlike broadcast and matchday income which if they increase do so slowly, c🅘omm🍌ercial income can change overnight with the addition of a few smart sponsorships.

One deal Newcastle have done is with Saudia, the flag carrier airlin💖e o♉f Saudi Arabia.

But Riyadh Air, a new Saudi airline backed by the Public Investment Fund, has also been linked with ꦗa commercial arrangement with Newcastle in what would likely be replacement deal for Saudia.

And as relayed by , talks of a relationship between Riyad🧜h Air and Newcastle is still continuing within the industry.

The report suggests that the competition between the Gulf states in terms of football sponsorship shows no signs of slowing doಌwn, with Qatar Airways having just struck an £83m-a-year deal with UEFA to sponsor the Champions League.

Chelsea are also believed to have held talks with Riyadh Air, who♔ already sponsor Atletico Madrid, while UAE flag carrier Emirates are allied with Arsenal and Real Madrid among others.

Newcastle’s PSR situation

As✤ has been well documented, Newcastle faced a mad𒐪 late scramble to comply with PSR for the three-year assessment window up to 30th June 2024.

Eventually, they – like several other Premier League clubs – got within the threꦉshold partly because of quasi-swap deals and the PSR-e🥀fficient sale of academy prospects.

Currently, Premier League clubs are allowed to lose no more than £105m o🌱ver a rolling three-year period, and the margins are expected to be tight for N🎶ewcastle once again this season.

Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

From next season, the top flight is expected to bring in a new system similar to UEFA’s which will see spending on w༒ages, transfers and ♌agent fees capped at 85 per cent of revenue.

That would likely mean that Newcastle would need to either find new revenue opportuniti💯es or decrease investment in their playing squad.