Public Investment Fund sees Champions League within Newcastle United’s grasp ahead of schedule

The astonishing 6-1 victory by Newcastle United over Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday only confirmed what many have been thinking this season, even if many Magpies fans have been cautious about acknowledging it: Head coach Eddie Howe’s side are well on the way to securing a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The words of captain Kieran Trippier after the game will be music to the ears of supporters of the club, who have been starved of success for far too long.

“We shouldn’t be scared to say we want to play Champions League football,” he said on Sunday night. “The games are running out. This stadium would be bouncing with Champions League football.”

The incredible transformation at the club has happened in double-quick time. Newcastle have defied the odds with their stunning improvement in performance after the Saudi-led takeover of the English club, and the results have far exceeded the expectations of everyone connected with the club.

In a span of just 18 months, the Premier League club have lifted themselves from the brink of relegation, fighting their way out of the bottom three, to chasing a Champions League spot, a trajectory many expected would take years to achieve.

The club have undergone a massive shift in performance since the Saudi Public Investment Fund acquired the club in a $380 million deal completed in October 2021, as the Wall Street Journal reported recently.

Newcastle are sitting third in the Premier League after Sunday’s win, with just seven games left to play, and in a prime position to qualify for the Champions League with a top-four finish.

This speedy progress only demonstrates how wise the Saudi investment in the club has been. Shortly after their takeover, the new