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Alan Nixon shares why the Premier League could be delaying approving the Newcastle United takeover

It has been 12 weeks since the Premier League lawyers started carrying out checks on Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund after their £300 million bid to own Newcastle United was made known.

The Kingdom’s links with broadcast piracy – which has since been confirmed by the World Trade Organization – have prevented them from passing the Owners’ and Directors’ Test.

However, Saudi vowed to crack down on piracy over the weekend and have already brought down some websites, and that made many reckon the Premier League would deliver a verdict on the Magpies takeover this week.