Newcastle takeover one year on - transfer verdict, sportswashing and future plan

Newcastle's Saudi owners want to turn the club into a £3bn super-club as they celebrate a year in charge.

It's a year since Toon fans celebrated like they'd won a trophy, when the oil rich Saudi Arabian state wealth Public Investment Fund - which has $608bn of assets - bought the club. The wealth fund that owns Newcastle United has revealed they have $76bn of cash in the bank.

The PIF opened its books for the first time this week to show its vast financial power - cash alone enough to buy Newcastle 226 times over - as the Tyneside club reviewed its first year of rebuilding. But a year on, are the Saudis delivering on a ten year quest to turn the Geordies into title winners? Is the transformation promised on track?

On October 7 last year, thousands gathered at St James's Park chanting and letting off flares, as deal broker Amanda Staveley struck a £300m-plus deal to oust unpopular and unambitious Sports Direct Mike Ashley using 80pc Saudi cash. Staveley and the Reuben brothers each took a 10pc slice.

As the completed deal sheets landed on laptops at the Jesmond Dene House hotel in Newcastle, Staveley spoke in her room of the club's ambition. To win the league in five to ten years? "Yes. We have the same ambition as PSG and Manchester City in terms of trophies…"

From being also rans in the Premier League, the intentions of the Saudi regime were clear. They wanted to be winners, to spend, and eventually to challenge Manchester City. But with a warning it will take "investment and patience."

The price for having the richest backers in football was to put Newcastle, and it's fans at the centre of a geo-political storm over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and the likelihood of the club being used as a billboard to promote a regime condemned by many campaigners. So how has it developed out so far?

How has Newcastle United changed?

The club is transformed in mood, ambition, organisation, leadership and hope. Match days at St James' Park, often grumbly and uninspiring, have become noisy, passionate and optimistic, with flag displays and hope being parades on the terraces.

Getting tickets for the match is now tough, leading to many wondering if they'll need a new stadium, if success really does kick in on the pitch.

It has become a proper functioning football club, rather than a hollowed out operation on the cheap. Staff have had wages upgraded to commercial levels, the women's team has been brought in house, and the youth academy has had a big budget hike. Four sites have been identified for a multi-million new training ground.

There has been a love-in for the last 12 months, where the ownership, manager and players could do no wrong. How long that lasts depends on the next steps.

Are Newcastle United now a serious football operation?

Out has gone Steve Bruce, replaced by Eddie Howe. Out has gone MD Lee Charnley to be replaced by Darren Eales ex of Spurs and Atlanta in the MLS.

In came England DNA architect, Dan Ashworth from Brighton, to be sporting directors, with a brief to build all aspects of the club. Foundations have been laid.

Last season Steve Bruce was in charge and it took a struggling disorganised team 15 games until December to get their first win, after Bruce was sacked by the new regime and replaced by Eddie Howe.

The head coach revived the team with 12 wins in their last 18 games to survive a major relegation scare and has United in seventh so far this campaign despite injuries to key players.

Has their transfer splurge been spent well?

So far £210m has been spent on eight players… with more to come in January and beyond. Landing Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak has been a sign of intent, with qualifying for Europe the aim this season.

In January, James Maddison, orchestrating a struggling Leicester, side is the top target. He could cost £40m-plus despite his contract running down in the next 18 months. Polishing up the attack is the new priority. Annoyance persists at the "Newcastle tax" of hiked prices and uncooperative rival sellers.

A harsher verdict is they've spent £210m and still look short up front. They spent £35m on Botman, when they already had a left sided defender in Dan Burn. Martin Dubravka was a competent keeper but ousted for £10m Nicky Pope. They spent £60m on Isak in a seemingly one horse race and three years earlier was worth £8m.

But they are having a go, playing catch up, and if you get 75pc of transfers right, you're doing well. The squad needed massive rebuilding that could take three more windows. Guimaraes was sensational business.

How deep will the Saudi PIF go and what happens next?

That's the big question. And their ambition to boost the value of their investment this week bodes well. Questions remain. Why did Newcastyle have to take a bank loan in January secured on their future TV and gate income?

The next big statement of support will be the Saudis gifting a new sponsor next summer in a move that will boost commercial income. The new Saudia airline would be an ideal partner, for tens of millions that would allow bigger spending on transfers and wages. United's turnover is around £170m compared to the top four who hit £400m plus.

The PIF's purchase of Newcastle is tiny compared to other companies they own. The Saudis are aggressively splashing hundreds of millions on their LIV golf series, Tiger Woods refusing payment of twice what Newcastle cost, to sign! Staveley, retained as front woman on a management contract, warns investment will be steady, and give a return. Speedy rebuild is also said to be hampered by financial sustainability rules.

How quickly will they be contenders?

Newcastle are still well behind the Premier League elite. Their income is a third of top four rivals. Their top earners are on a third of the money top five clubs pay. Money usually translates to league position, so it could be a few years before they can push the top four over a season, or a decade before a title is possible.

Eddie Howe sees the quickest route to success through the cups this season. Win just one domestic title, their first since 1955, and all involved will be legends. But Newcastle will be knocking on the door of the top seven/eight this season, if they keep their strikers fit.

Is the issue of sports-washing and the Saudi ownership dragging the club down?

Being associated in any way with the Saudi Government's human rights record is a stain on Newcastle. But my take is that buying Newcastle has shone a spotlight on their worst deeds. For instance on Saturday before the Brentford game, fans can sign an Amnesty petition demanding the release of Abdul Rahman al-Sadham, the Saudi aid worker jailed for 20 years for using Twitter at the Monument.

Some fans choose to ignore the controversies and choose just to support their football team. The majority have become more aware of the crimes of their owners.

My other take is that while the issues have to be highlighted, it is not the job of Newcastle fans to right the wrongs of the Saudi government. If our British Government choose to sell billions worth of arms to the Saudis, cosy up to them for their investment cash and trade links, and as a strategic Gulf ally, why should Toon fans have to stop watching their club, or enjoying successes because, out of their control, the Saudis bought their team?

And then there's FIFA, ready to award the Saudis a World Cup. Interestingly, the Saudi's have been very low key and have not used the club at all for publicity or self-promotion so far. Even Eddie Howe's training jaunt to Jeddah last season included very little publicity.

It was jarring when club chairman and PIF chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan was given a huge roar by the St James' crowd shortly after the takeover. But since then, largely silence from the top.

It will come though. When Newcastle become a force again, they will be one of the Saudi's sporting flagships used to convince the world they are a mainstream nation.

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