03 November 2023 , 14:00
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Newcastle are braced for a Premier League transfer battle if rivals try to stop them signing players on loan from Saudi clubs.
The Geordies will attempt to sign Portugal international midfielder Ruben Neves on loan from Al-Hilal just six months after his £47m move to the Saudi Pro League. Newcastle and Al-Hilal are both owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and there is currently no regulation to stop the deal.
Premier League rivals fear Newcastle could use the FOUR Saudi clubs they own as a back door way of getting players to Tyneside on the cheap. Newcastle need a replacement for play-maker Sandro Tonali who is banned for ten months for bettting, but face Financial Fair Play restrictions so a loan deal would suit.
Neves, 26, left Wolves in the summer after 253 games in six seasons. The PIF also own Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr. The PIF have helped their clubs buy star players including N’Golo Kante, Jota, Riyadh Mahrez, Fabinho, Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Newcastle sold Allan Saint-Maximin to the Al-Ahli, owned by the PIF, in the summer for around £25m, a deal that passed fair market value regulations.
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Director of Football Dan Ashworth said: “The current rules and regulations say there is nothing to stop it. Currently. There is a potential that the various different organisations will look at things across related parties and what you can do to acquire players at a fair market value.”
Newcastle face Arsenal this weekend in sixth place, with the chance to close the gap on the top four. And Eddie Howe is delighted with the way his side have overcome a tricky start to still be in the mix in the upper reaches of the Premier League table.
Howe said: "I am proud of the players. "It was always going to be tough and we knew that at the start - there's been no change to that.
"We've been dealt some really difficult blows. It's not been plain sailing for us, we have had to be resilient and robust and deal with some challenges. I have to compliment the players on how they have been, the challenge never gets easier."