PIF looking to push ahead with multi-club ownership model which is good news for Newcastle United
There are many fans and even pundits who question the PIF's commitment to Newcastle United since the 2021 takeover went through.
The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund is the majority owner of the club after Amanda Staveley and the Reuben Brothers made up the rest of the takeover consortium. Staveley has now moved on to pastures new with her share divided between the two remaining parties.
However, there has been a feeling that the PIF aren't as committed to Newcastle United as their early promises suggested.
There has been constant turmoil behind the scenes with an ever-changing boardroom; there's still no sign of a new stadium or training complex and many feel that PSR restrictions, which have stopped Newcastle from buying whoever they want and building a Super Club, have turned the PIF off the idea.
PIF are showing commitment to Newcastle United by buying other clubs
Club insiders continue to deny that this is the case, and the noises from St James' Park are always that the PIF is fully committed to the club. As the PIF start to sell off their stake in several Saudi Pro League clubs they invested in, there was panic that they were giving up on football altogether, but those investments were only ever meant to be temporary.
In his Newcastle Confidential column today, Craig Hope has revealed that the PIF have informed Newcastle United's academy directors that they intend to push ahead with a multi-club ownership model like what we've seen with Chelsea and Manchester City.
The thinking is that, because Brexit now blocks players under 18 from joining English clubs from Europe, if the PIF/Newcastle United own teams on the continent, they can use those clubs to snap up younger talent and develop them for Newcastle, and they can make the switch when they turn 18. It's believed that they're looking at France and Belgium for their first foray, and could move as quickly as sometime this year.
Newcastle will have sister clubs on the continent to develop young players
Newcastle's scouting network has identified many young players that they simply cannot acquire due to the law since Brexit, and this gives the club a workaround.
For example, one young star Newcastle identified last year was AIK’s exciting striker Kevin Filling. Newcastle’s talent spotters rate him highly, but because he is 17, the likelihood is that the Swede will end up at a bigger club on the continent this summer.
Having a sister club on the continent would allow them to make the move to sign such a player and develop them, and if they feel that he's progressing how they want, they can easily move him between clubs.
