Premier League risks becoming a 'patsy' by allowing Saudi takeover of Newcastle, says Amnesty International

Amnesty International has warned the Premier League that it risks becoming a "patsy" if it allows a Saudi takeover of Newcastle United.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is headed up by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is leading the way on a £300 million ($375m) bid to take the club out of current owner Mike Ashley's hands.

The Saudi group would own 80 per cent of the club. The remaining 20% will be split between Amanda Staveley's PCP Capital Partners (10%) and British businessmen the Reuben brothers (10%). Though a deal appears close, plenty have objected to a regime accused of many human rights abuses being involved in the Premier League.

Amnesty has said that Saudi Arabia imprisons and tortures critics of the government and has executed people based on unfair trials. The CIA has also concluded that Bin Salman ordered the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul.

For these reasons and more, Amnesty UK director Kate Allen has pleaded with Premier League chief executive Richard Masters to reconsider allowing Saudi government ownership of the Magpies.