Simon Jordan backs Newcastle takeover to go through

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan told TalkSport he is still confident that the proposed £300m takeover of Newcastle United will go through.

Jordan, who has never been shy to engage in a war of words with Magpie fans, spoke of the piracy issue that has poured doubt over the takeover and whether the Premier League will be able to approve it.

The Saudi Arabian PIF, alongside Amanda Staveley’s PCP Partners and the Reuben Brothers, are very close to completing the purchase of the club. The deal still resides with the Premier League who are pouring over every detail of the proposal to make sure there’s nothing that would disqualify the consortium from owning a PL football club.

Fans have been growing increasingly impatient as, when the news first came about, we were told it would take 2-4 weeks to complete the tests. It’s now been nearly two months and still we’ve had no breakthrough – but Jordan says he thinks Newcastle fans can relax as he’s confident the deal will be approved.

“The blockage is one of, initially, moral outrage and the second one is the challenge around piracy and how the Saudi Arabian regime – according to the World Trade Organisation – appears to be funding a piracy model that is hijacking content and publishing it in a fashion that is out of keeping with the Premier League itself,” Jordan said.

Simon Jordan reveals on talkSPORT he can be involved in Charlton ...
Simon Jordan has not been shy to criticise Newcastle in the past but believes the takeover will go ahead

“The Premier League sells its output to a company called BeIN’s. BeIN’s output is essentially being nicked by a company called BeoutQ.

“I just feel the Premier League will use it as leverage to try and get some reining in of that but I just feel I would be very, very, very surprised if they block this and are able to block it.

“There are other people that own football clubs that one could question the veracity or the efficacy of their ownership and I think this is going to be a very difficult situation.

“If the Premier League blocks this move, it is effectively saying that owners only to their approval – irrespective of the conditionality and you’ll move the bar and move the bar – and then you will have the argument, raging in Newcastle more than anywhere else, that this only retains the status quo for those that it suits.

“I would be very surprised if it is blocked.”

Whether you like him or not, there’s no denying that not many people know how these things work better than Simon Jordan does – having gone through it himself in the past. Hearing positive noises from him can only be a good thing.

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