Premier League to vote on BAN to stop controversial Newcastle transfer
Tom Weber
- Updated: 8 Nov 2023 21:39 GMT
- 4 min read
Premier League bosses are set to vote on a temporary ban on loan transfers between clubs with the same ownership.
This news comes after widespread reports that Saudi-owned Newcastle United could look to the Pro League to replace Sandro Tonali, who has been banned from football for 10 months over illegal gambling offences. The Magpies shelled out €64 million on the then-Milan man in the summer, but they will have to make do without their expensive asset for the rest of the season.
This has seen them linked with former Wolverhampton Wanderers man Ruben Neves, who controversially headed to the Saudi Pro League in the prime of his career in the summer, with record Asian champions Al-Hilal paying €55m for his services. Crucially, Al-Hilal, Newcastle and the other three giants of the Pro League - Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr - are all owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
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Rather than signing Neves permanently, reports have stated that the Magpies would only take him on loan to offset the loss of Tonali, but this has apparently drawn the ire of other Premier League clubs.
Temporary ban
According to the Daily Mail, Premier League shareholders will hold a vote later this month to implement a temporary ban on loan transactions between sides sharing the same owners. The report asserts that the required majority of 14 out of 20 votes will be reached.
While only a temporary measure at first, it could pave the way for permanent legislation on the matter. Though not confirmed, the reports linking Neves with Newcastle could have been the straw that broke the camel's back for shareholders who already harboured concerns about multi-club ownership.
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There are many such arrangements in the Premier League, most notably at Man City, who are part of City Football Group, which owns, among many others, table-topping LaLiga side Girona, French club Troyes and Ange Postecoglou's former club Yokohama F-Marinos in Japan.
Brighton owner Tony Bloom, meanwhile, holds a minority stake in Belgium's Union St. Gilloise, while incoming Man Utd investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe owns Ligue 1 leaders Nice. The new regulation would affect these and many more, but unlike Newcastle and the Pro League, the affiliated clubs of these Premier League sides are for the most part not stacked with superstars.
