Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been discussing Newcastle United’s controversial takeover in his native Germany
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says that Newcastle United’s takeover is “like the Super League for one club” and has tipped the Magpies to play a dominant role in world football for decades to come.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), whose chairman is Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of the Middle Eastern state, has purchased Newcastle United and Reds boss Klopp, who has steered the club to both the Champions League and Premier League title, reckons that the change will rock the game’s current establishment.
Sport Witness quote Klopp as telling Sky Deutschland: “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.
“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.”
