Whitley mag

Yup - it's long been my fear that all of these positive noises were coming from one source. Could easily be misguided/wrong/badly advised. Disagree they’ll have a good idea from the league’s lawyers who they’ll have been dealing with on a daily basis. Yes it has to go to the board, but this is obviously complex and I can’t see them going against the legal advice. Either where waiting for a remedy to tv situation, or they’ll just pass it based on PIF being a separate legal entity. Hmmm. Well, it's all guesswork but I'd have said if they were 'good to go' and 'expecting an announcement over the next 24 hours' and 'cans in the fridge' then I'd say they were given a bum steer by the Lawyers as that was over a month ago. The TV situation and the seperate entity argument have been there since day 1 and yet the deal still seems nowhere near being done. I'd say it's entirely reasonable to be doubting the validity of the prior positive noises coming from the buyers side tbh. I see where your coming from, but I genuinely think they were given the nod. However, that Monday news broke of further evidence being submitted. Now everything subsequently points to this being the WTO draft report. I genuinely believe it is the fact this has become so public has unnerved the board. I believe legally this has the go ahead from lawyers, however board wanted more info re piracy under pressure from Bein. Now where in a situation where solution to keep all parties happy is taking place, hence confidence of buyers. We’ve always been told it’s an ongoing discussion. I’m convinced it’ll be sorted but understand doubts.

Yup - it's long been my fear that all of these positive noises were coming from one source. Could easily be misguided/wrong/badly advised. Disagree they’ll have a good idea from the league’s lawyers who they’ll have been dealing with on a daily basis. Yes it has to go to the board, but this is obviously complex and I can’t see them going against the legal advice. Either where waiting for a remedy to tv situation, or they’ll just pass it based on PIF being a separate legal entity.

On this topic.

I think that’s undoubtedly part of the current hold up. It may not even need to be sorted for this to go through, but I think the prem will want some sort of assurance from Saudi going forward, either they allow bein to broadcast in Saudi or they split the MENA region.

I agree concessions will be needed. What I keep coming back to is if the Saudis see this as trophy purchase, they must have accounted for this scenario where no one in Saudi would be able to watch us. The main point is though I 100% believe that it is the remedy that is holding this up, rather than waiting for the WTO report to block it.

Was just reading this article from January re bein and Saudi’s. If our takeover goes through there is currently no legal way for our potential new owners / fans from Saudi to watch our games at present. Now as far as I understand bein have the contract until 2021/22 season. If the takeover goes through this is not a sustainable position for anyone surely. The premier league will know interest will peak massively in Saudi, and with no legal way of watching piracy will be the only option. Surely the compromise here is Saudi to allow Bein to broadcast legally in Saudi for remainder of contract to get this deal done. I would imagine that would appease premier league and get them on board, before bidding themselves in 2022. The major problem here is bein are under the Al Jazeera umbrella, which I believe Saudi have previously want banned. This I believe is the whole crux of it, the premier league will know that Saudi have not done all they can to stop piracy. However, I don’t think that’s the hold up, as long as there’s a resolution to the above our takeover will be rubber stamped. Big question is though how do they get that resolution, maybe it is UAE, Bahrain and Saudi offering some sort of rebate to show games legally there until new contract is negotiated in 2022. Maybe well off the mark, but that’s my take. https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/middle-east-tv-revenues-bein-sports-saudi-arabia-ban

I like your long term vision.

Gan on gravesy lad, that’s more like it.

Well the UK Government have not been able to stop the IPTV app, so how can they expect the Saudis too This how can we expect to hold the saudi’s to such a high standard of policing this, when nearly every fu#%er in my office is watching illegal streams every weekend ? Should we not be getting our own house in order first. I just don’t see this stopping the takeover, Simon Bird seems to have joined the negative story club lately. Is it not that they think the saudis were actually behind/hosting the dodgy streams etc? I'll admit I haven't really read much about the ins and outs of it, but I'm fairly certain that the whole thing isn't because there are illegal streams in Saudi But how many countries across the world are behind / hosting dodgy streams ? It’s not my specialist subject but I’m guessing there’s a few. Regardless the government have said they’ll raise this with Saudi govt, but they have not got involved in takeover which is the crucial aspect. It sounds like nothing more than paying lip service to me, we’ll have a word just to look like where concerned, but where not getting involved really we don’t want to upset them.

This also from Simon Bird the other day. Just another cnut to add to the list as far as I’m concerned. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/newcastle-united-takeover-tainted-club-22147212

Well the UK Government have not been able to stop the IPTV app, so how can they expect the Saudis too This how can we expect to hold the saudi’s to such a high standard of policing this, when nearly every fu#%er in my office is watching illegal streams every weekend ? Should we not be getting our own house in order first. I just don’t see this stopping the takeover, Simon Bird seems to have joined the negative story club lately.

A report piece not an opinion piece. He described the potential for Man United to be bought by SA as 'doomsday for football.' Still a different tone there to anything he’s written about us, report, opinion piece or not.

Did anyone watch little bitter miggy on the Sunday supplement, be interested to know what he said ? Spot the difference in the tone of this article, the little Man U supporting waster. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-sale-saudi-arabia-interest-reports-latest-buy-club-mohammad-bin-salman-a8586866.html

Think I’ll give that a swerve.

Isn't her 10% investment based on her winning her case? She used the expected payout as collateral for the loan didn't she? It’s in the companies house documents yes, however if she wins the full claim she could feasibly fund the whole purchase herself.

Think Mandy is going to have her hands full next few weeks. Not sure how i feel about Jenkins calling her a ‘tart’, almost like someone calling your lass. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-8392821/Barclays-1-6bn-court-showdown-financier-Amanda-Staveley.html

It’s not an interview mind; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-8395255/City-dealmaker-Staveley-pledged-fee-6-times.html That’s not the full article it’s under ‘this is money’. It’s definitely an interview mate. Though the article is from March i think the fact she’s interviewed Staveley recently, gives her article in the mail credibility. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-8086245/Amanda-Staveley-City-dealmaker-whos-suing-Barclays-1-6-Billion.html

Miguel Delaney spouting his bile on Sunday Supplement at 10am on Sky. No doubt he’ll get free reign to slate the takeover and call on the world to unite against it.

It would appear the story in the daily mail by Helen Cahill is very well sourced. The same reporter has interviewed Staveley in a separate article in the mail today, it’s about her court case with Barclays this week. So safe to say the information has come straight from Staveley herself. It even mentions how she was for late for the interview after speaking to investors. Wonder who that might have been

This consortium has to much money and influential people involved to fail. An agreement will be found to suit everybody.

As it confidential can the premier league discuss the takeover with bein ? How do you not know Masters is trying to keep everyone happy to try and avoid legal action. Surely that is the best outcome for premier league. The PL can speak to Bein, provided that it's part of evidence gathering. They can speak to whoever they want but when they do, presumably said party will also have to sign confidentiality forms. This is a PL investigation, not a Staveley one or a Qatar/Bein one. They choose what is relevant and important with regards to the tests in which they have set. If they can find any reasonable evidence that breaks any of their tests, then they will block the takeover until whatever the issues is has been sorted. I suspect that the french courts have a much more stringent set of thresholds than that of the PL, making proving piracy to the PL easier. Is that not the key though ‘until whatever the issues are have been sorted’. I’m convinced with the individuals we have involved in this, they will ensure it is sorted.

There’s been other interest for 13 years, I’m interested in the group who have finally had a bid accepted. This group are also not leveraging the club with debt and have the financial muscle to transform us.

As it confidential can the premier league discuss the takeover with bein ? How do you not know Masters is trying to keep everyone happy to try and avoid legal action. Surely that is the best outcome for premier league.

Sums it up for me, too. Nicely put and sums up the view of everyone I speak to.