Last modified on Thu 15 Apr 2021 14.47 EDT The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, warned Boris Johnson in a text message that UK-Saudi Arabian relations would be damaged if the British government failed to intervene to “correct” the Premier League’s “wrong” decision not to allow a £300m takeover of Newcastle United last year. Johnson asked Edward Lister, his special envoy for the Gulf, to take up the issue, and Lord Lister reportedly told the prime minister: “I’m on the case. I will investigate.” The message stemmed from an attempt by a consortium led by the sovereign wealth fund, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, to buy Newcastle from its current owner, Mike Ashley.
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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.