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Saudi PIF in talks with potential investors

I think Saudi trade deficit was $33.5 billion for the first quarter of 2026. Obviously debt is not a great problem if it can be serviced, but they must be taking a view in the light of reduced oil revenues.
 

darius said:
If they bought the whole of Leazes Terrace, which is mostly residential, they could apply to change the use of it to commercial. Residential properties have a certain amount of a "right to light" using the "Manchester" formula etc. However, commercial properties don't have the same rights, or needs for light. Therefore, they can develop the East Stand upwards with little restriction.
Similar to what was going to hinder us if the council built behind the South Stand.
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Be amazed if they could do much at all with it being Grade 1.
Way more difficult, even changing layouts and removing partitions isn't a given
 
darius said:
Yes. However, they could just change the use and not alter the building. Even not use it!
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But you have to apply for a change of use and they need to show what the changes are etc.
Its a non starter imo.
I know what you're saying though.
Grade 2 maybe...... but still not easy.
Only 2.5% of all of the buildings in the UK are listed.
Only 2% of that 2.5% are grade 1, they are very heavily protected.
 
si73 said:
Buying up property in Newcastle is what the Reuben's have been doing since they got involved. Imho they have zero interest in the football club, it was just a mutually beneficial relationship that got their feet under the Jawdee Nashun property table and probably helped them get in better with the council.

They'd turn Sid James into a shopping mall, offices and residential properties if they could. It's absolutely prime real estate in an area of the city thats already had billions spent redeveloping and improving it.
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The Reuben,s have been acquiring land / property in Newcastle long before the Saudi take over . Bought Newcastle Gosford Park race track in 2007 and steadily build up their land / property since then . Also own Sunderland dog track
Don’t know how much interest their have in NUFC .Chelsea was the team their followed and it was them who facilitated the takeover by a Russian oligarch .
 
HarrogateMackem said:
They have the most debt in the world. I’ve said it loads on here, there’s zero chance I’d want them as our owners like.
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Regardless of how well they're run the last thing we ever would want is an oil state owning the Club. Without even getting into human rights it's a Middle-Eastern nation state owning our proud local club. Everything we've done since their takeover will forever more give us a genuine moral high ground, and whatever we achieve we will always be able to say we did it without needing to resort to such disgusting means. The way the Mags acted after the takeover was shameful and amoral, and we will have that over them forever unless we fall into the same trap. Even from a self-interest perspective there's nobody who can compete with PIF financially so why would we ever sell out so deplorably?

We still have a club to be proud of and we should never sacrifice that. I know the rules prevent sugar-daddy spending but even if the rules changed and owners could spend what they want, we don't want success at that cost.
 
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Zen Den said:
Regardless of how well they're run the last thing we ever would want is an oil state owning the Club. Without even getting into human rights it's a Middle-Eastern nation state owning our proud local club. Everything we've done since their takeover will forever more give us a genuine moral high ground, and whatever we achieve we will always be able to say we did it without needing to resort to such disgusting means. The way the Mags acted after the takeover was shameful and amoral, and we will have that over them forever unless we fall into the same trap. Even from a self-interest perspective there's nobody who can compete with PIF financially so why would we ever sell out so deplorably?

We still have a club to be proud of and we should never sacrifice that. I know the rules prevent sugar-daddy spending but even if the rules changed and owners could spend what they want, we don't want success at that cost.
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A big long post, but I think I disagree with your framing. We’re literally owned by a Swiss billionaire who had probably barely heard of Sunderland before he got us. It’s hardly like it’s Bob Murray still here.

I personally don’t give a shit who owns us, local or not, as long as they’re not morally bankrupt and can run us effectively as a business. I think the mags owners are neither, and our owners are both.

Would I care if the Norwegians, Oman state, or the Kuwaitis bought us (all as “oil states”) probably not. We had a Texan billionaire oil barron as well, and had he been advised better I’d of been fine with him.
 
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HarrogateMackem said:
A big long post, but I think I disagree with your framing. We’re literally owned by a Swiss billionaire who had probably barely heard of Sunderland before he got us. It’s hardly like it’s Bob Murray still here.

I personally don’t give a shit who owns us, local or not, as long as they’re not morally bankrupt and can run us effectively as a business. I think the mags owners are neither, and our owners are both.
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Our owners won’t have journalists executed, or people launched off buildings over their sexuality.
 
HarrogateMackem said:
A big long post, but I think I disagree with your framing. We’re literally owned by a Swiss billionaire who had probably barely heard of Sunderland before he got us. It’s hardly like it’s Bob Murray still here.

I personally don’t give a shit who owns us, local or not, as long as they’re not morally bankrupt and can run us effectively as a business. I think the mags owners are neither, and our owners are both.

Would I care if the Norwegians, Oman state, or the Kuwaitis bought us (all as “oil states”) probably not. We had a Texan billionaire oil barron as well, and had he been advised better I’d of been fine with him.
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Yeah I think honest people can disagree about that. There’s a difference to me between private and state-funded, and then there are different states. There’s no calculation you can make which determines where the moral line goes, except by your own subjective judgement.

It was a long post! Appreciate your response though.
Zen Den said:
Regardless of how well they're run the last thing we ever would want is an oil state owning the Club. Without even getting into human rights it's a Middle-Eastern nation state owning our proud local club. Everything we've done since their takeover will forever more give us a genuine moral high ground, and whatever we achieve we will always be able to say we did it without needing to resort to such disgusting means. The way the Mags acted after the takeover was shameful and amoral, and we will have that over them forever unless we fall into the same trap. Even from a self-interest perspective there's nobody who can compete with PIF financially so why would we ever sell out so deplorably?

We still have a club to be proud of and we should never sacrifice that. I know the rules prevent sugar-daddy spending but even if the rules changed and owners could spend what they want, we don't want success at that cost.
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Reading it back in the sober light of day maybe it is a bit pious. My point intended to be more about the Mags reaction to the takeover than the owners themselves, although I’d find it impossible to reconcile supporting the Club with the human rights issues.
 
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HarrogateMackem said:
A big long post, but I think I disagree with your framing. We’re literally owned by a Swiss billionaire who had probably barely heard of Sunderland before he got us. It’s hardly like it’s Bob Murray still here.

I personally don’t give a shit who owns us, local or not, as long as they’re not morally bankrupt and can run us effectively as a business. I think the mags owners are neither, and our owners are both.

Would I care if the Norwegians, Oman state, or the Kuwaitis bought us (all as “oil states”) probably not. We had a Texan billionaire oil barron as well, and had he been advised better I’d of been fine with him.
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Short was a private equity investor, not an oil baron.

Investment funds and rich families are both different gravy from the Saudi state.
 
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