Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is puzzled over how Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund [PIF] was allowed to complete the purchase of Newcastle United.
The consortium led by the PIF [as major stakeholder], PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media wanted to buy the Magpies in 2020.
Their efforts had then failed, after the Premier League blocked the takeover, only for them to successfully go ahead and seal the deal earlier this month.
Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, is the chairman of the PIF.
Sky Deutschland interviewed the former Borussia Dortmund manager and after discussing various topics, the Liverpool manager was asked to give his take on the PIF’s purchase of Newcastle.
“I don’t want to make it my business because it’s not my business. There are no two opinions about the obvious human rights concerns in Saudi Arabia,” the Reds boss explained.
“That’s not a question. But how it could then happen that this was nevertheless allowed despite many concerns, I cannot assess. That must be some other people.
“If we only talk about football, then in the long term, of course, we have to say that they are going to be a superpower. This is the third club in world football that I know of that belongs to a country and that obviously belongs to the wealthiest family on the planet.
“The possibilities that open up are of course immense. With the Super League, the whole world was justifiably upset about it. It’s basically like the Super League now – just for one club. Then Newcastle are guaranteed to play a dominant role in world football for the next 20 or 30 years.
“You can mess up a lot with money, but in the long run there are too many good people running around in football and Newcastle will find them too. Accordingly, this is how it is now. It wasn’t my choice and we are just living with the facts now.
“There is no other way to do it. But since no one has said anything so great, I’m not ready to really give my opinion now, whether I think that’s good or bad. There are concerns that everyone has, because I’m not alone and the rest was obviously decided by other people.”
Liverpool, meanwhile, are second in the table with 15 points after seven matches, trailing leaders Chelsea by a point. Klopp believes the race to win the title will be tough this season, and that’s already becoming clear.
“It is very likely that it will be very tight – you really have to say that. City have certainly not got any worse than last year, the kind of football they play is brutal. We’re in a good mood. Chelsea have a top team and a huge squad,” the Merseyside club manager explained.
“United are United, they won’t stop investing until it works out at some point. The squad they now have together is also strong.”
