Premier League CEO Richard Masters admits he would like the process concerning Newcastle United’s prospective takeover to conclude ‘shortly’ – but the governing body’s chief insists there is ‘no particular time frame’ set because ‘some takeovers are straightforward and others aren’t’ The Premier League have been conducting their owners’ and directors’ test for several months now and the would-be owners – Amanda Staveley, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the Reuben Brothers – never envisaged it taking this long. A number of objections have been raised on moral grounds but it has been Saudi’s links with beoutQ – the World Trade Organisation ruled the Kingdom ‘criminal procedures and penalties’ to tackle the pirate bay broadcaster – that have complicated matters.
Richard Masters said “All processes have to conclude and I would like the process to conclude shortly, It is the board that considers takeovers, There’s no timetable set as part of the rules. There’s no particular time frame that these things normally take. Some takeovers are straightforward and others aren’t.”
Masters also admitted that after a COVID 19 cases spike in Leicester, there was a possibility that the league may not finish and have to be stopped again.
Richard Masters said “There’s always that possibility, yes, We’re dependent on the course of the virus and the government’s decisions in response to that. Obviously we’re cautiously optimistic and what’s happened in Leicester overnight is something we’re responding to now. We’ve been planning for quite a long period of time to adapt to a neutral venues model if necessary for a variety of different reasons. I think we can clearly cope with the situation in Leicester. If it means the club can’t play its home games for the foreseeable future or just this weekend, we can adapt to that. But if that were to happen in multiple areas or the course of the virus creates other risks then obviously there’s that risk that we can’t complete the season.
