The takeover of Newcastle United has been complicated still further after Saudi Arabia permanently cancelled the license of beIN Sports to broadcast in the country.
Qatar-based beIN are the Premier League's rights holders in the Middle East and this means there will be no legal means of watching top-flight football in Saudi.
Sources indicated at the start of the week that an announcement on the £300million Saudi-led takeover was close, and the expectation remained that it would be approved, in part because of government involvement behind the scenes.
beIN Sports have had their license permanently cancelled in Saudi Arabia, it's been revealed
However, beIN sources who believed the takeover was about to be signed off are now stunned by Saudi's latest move.