November 26, (THEWILL) – It is unlikely that the English Premier League will change its Owners & Directors Test to bar Saudi Arabia from making a potential investment in either Manchester United or Liverpool.
As THEWILL reported, the two American-owned clubs are now up for sale, and Saudi Arabian investors are rumoured to have interests in both. Their Sports Minister recently acknowledged that his country would like to invest in at least one of United or Liverpool.
If the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s acquisition of Newcastle United is any indication, any offers would be met with fierce opposition in England’s top division.
After taking control of Newcastle in 2021, the PIF had to endure a protracted legal battle to demonstrate that the organisation, which was headed by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had no connections to the nation’s government before the takeover was approved.
Since then, concerns have been raised over the EPL’s willingness to approve a sale to Saudi investors, with many calling for the kingdom to be barred from any upcoming takeover offers due to its terrible record on human rights. But, there are currently no official plans to prohibit Saudi Arabians from managing EPL clubs.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
