Newcastle United has made headlines over the past couple of weeks for their sale to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund for £305-million.
The deal has brought many to discuss the negatives and positives of the sale as the English club now has the wealthiest owners in club football. Having the financial backing to bring in quality players has supporters excited and former players too.
In an interview with TNT Sports Brazil, former Newcastle midfielder Diego Gavilán, who spent three years with The Magpies, spoke about the sale and what the future holds for the Premier League side.
Gavilán mentioned the negatives and positives but stated that he understands the excitement that the supporters are feeling.
“I believe that this sale has positive and negative sides for the club. Regarding the issues involving the off the field, I can’t comment much about it because nobody knows for sure what it involves,” Gavilán said.
“Still, I know that if the team reaches the financial level of clubs like City, Chelsea, and PSG, the fans will certainly have many reasons to celebrate. They are passionate fans and an extremely traditional club in England. They have a giant stadium that gives players a unique feeling.”
The former midfielder adds that he will be rooting for Newcastle to regain its prominent role in English football. Furthermore, Gavilán hopes that this ownership will attract marquee players who allow the club to win trophies, which is their end goal.
“I’m still rooting for Newcastle for the time I spent at the club, and I hope they can strengthen well in the coming seasons so that they reach the highest levels of European football,” Gavilán said.
“I believe that clubs that reach a high technical level are always welcome in the sport. In the case of the Premier League, I also consider it very attractive, as it will increase the level of a league that is already very high.”
Newcastle will have the chance to flex its new financial muscle in a few months when the January window opens. If they can spend their new money wisely, expect Gavilán and other Newcastle alumni to be happy with their rise back to the top of English football.