Newcastle given green light for controversial transfer ruling that affects Manchester United and Man City

Newcastle will be allowed to sign players from Saudi Arabia after a Premier League vote on a temporary ban regarding loans between clubs with associated owners failed to get enough support at Tuesday’s shareholders meeting.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund own Newcastle as well as a number of Saudi Pro League clubs, including Al-Hilal, for whom Ruben Neves plays. The former Wolves midfielder has been strongly linked with a switch to St James’ Park amid the 10-month ban Sandro Tonali recently received for breaching betting rules.

A temporary ban on “associated party transactions” - which would be in place until formal rules were drafted for the summer - would have prevented such a loan transfer from occurring. Fourteen clubs were required to vote for the ban in order for it to be invoked, but multiple outlets are reporting that the vote fell one short, with a 13-7 split.

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Manchester City are part of the City Football Group, which also owns the likes of Girona, Palermo and New York City. A ban would have meant loan transfers between these clubs could not have taken place. It is unclear whether the rule change would've affected Manchester United when Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment is ratified, given he will not be a majority owner. Ratcliffe's firm Ineos also owns OGC Nice and Swiss club Lausanne.

However, with no change to the current rules following Tuesday's vote, loan transfers between these outfits are permitted.

The Premier League still bans owners from investing in more than one of its member clubs. Elsewhere, UEFA rules prevent clubs with the same owner competing in the same European competition.

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