Boris Johnson intervened in a Saudi bid to buy a top English football club after he was personally lobbied by its crown prince.
Mohammed Bin Salman urged him to 'correct and reconsider' a 'wrong' decision by the Premier League, which was accused of blocking a £300million takeover of Newcastle United, it emerged last night.
The angry crown prince warned the Prime Minister last year that Anglo-Saudi relations would be damaged unless it was reversed.
Mr Johnson asked senior No10 aide Lord Eddie Lister, a Middle East expert, to take up the complaint. Lord Lister said he would 'investigate'.
The Saudis withdrew from the Newcastle deal last July – blaming the Premier League – to the fury of fans convinced the wealthy Middle Eastern state's investment could bring them new success.