Yet another name linked to takeover
A NEW name has emerged at the centre of the protracted Newcastle United takeover.
Puerto Rico-based Ali Jassim, who was a close ally of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, is named by the New York Times as an influential figure who is working with Amanda Staveley on brokering the £300m deal to buy the Magpies.
They report Jassim is named in documents along with Staveley – whose role has been to negotiate with Mike Ashley – and Carla DiBello, the Gulf ‘fixer’ who has cultivated a close relationship with key figures in the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
He first came into contact with Staveley as both worked on the sale of Manchester City to the Abu Dhabi royal family, who since have transformed the Citizens from a middling Premier League side into a European heavyweight.
Jassim’s precise role, the New York Times reports, is unclear but according to documents he has “significant experience in identifying, coordinating and consuming large cross-border transactions”.
The precise structure and roll call of people involved in the deal remains unclear although plenty of details have already been reported about the United buyout, including the presence of the Reuben brothers, a pair of billionaire property magnates, and PIF as part of a consortium made up of three major figures.
No doubt more will emerge if the deal is signed off – along with the financial details – but the number of people involved and the potential rewards for their involvement show just how lucrative the Premier League is and how significant and complicated this takeover has been.
The complex and long-running takeover saga remains unresolved as the Premier League continue to investigate aspects of the deal ahead of passing information to the board to make a decision.
A report in Forbes claimed a deal is due “this week”, although the league continue to insist the process remains confidential and aren’t commenting on any specifics related to the deal.
The emergence of another figure involved adds more intrigue – although until a decision is communicated, Newcastle fans could be forgiven for tuning out somewhat.