London (AFP)

The English Premier League on Thursday approved the buyout of the Newcastle club by a Saudi fund, ending a soap opera that had lasted for more than a year, she said in a statement.

"The club is sold to the consortium with immediate effect," the text said, stressing that the Premier League has "received legally binding guarantees that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control the Newcastle United club".

Newcastle, which had been owned by Mike Ashley for 14 years, was bought by a consortium comprising the Saudi investment fund, PCP Capital Partners and the brothers David and Simon Reuben.

"We are extremely proud to become the new owners of Newcastle United, one of the most famous clubs in English football," Saudi fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan said in a statement.

"We thank the Newcastle fans for their incredible loyal support over the years and are very excited to work with them," he added.

PCP Capital Partners Managing Director Amanda Staveley said it was a "long-term investment".

According to British media, the offer amounted to 300 million pounds (333 million euros).

Before the officialization of the takeover, Amnesty International had called on the Premier League to tighten the criteria to be able to acquire a football club in England.

"Under Mohammed bin Salman, the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia remains dire - with criticism of the government, with women's rights activists, Shiite activists and human defenders still harassed and imprisoned, often after evidently after trials inequitable, "said Amnesty UK Managing Director Sacha Deshmukh.

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley (tie) before the kick-off of the game against West Ham at St James Park on May 24, 2015 Ian MacNicol AFP / Archives

"Instead of allowing people involved in serious human rights violations to enter English football just because their pockets are full," the NGO "urged the Premier League to change its criteria (for selection ) of the owners and directors "of its clubs.

An attempt to buy Newcastle by the Saudis had already failed in the summer of 2020, due in particular to the personality of Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman.

The latter was named by Turkish and American officials as the sponsor of the assassination in October 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

"MBS" was later said to take responsibility as leader for the murder, however denying any knowledge of it before it was committed.

A second front opened when the Qatari channel beIN Sports accused Saudi Arabia of being behind BeoutQ, a system for pirating sports images.

Saudi Arabia's decision to allow beIN Sports to be broadcast on its territory paved the way for the settlement of a long-standing dispute between the two Gulf countries and revived the plan to buy Newcastle.

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