Newcastle United have held exploratory talks with Belgian side KV Oostende as the club’s Saudi-backed ownership group step up plans to create a multi-club model.
Newcastle are looking at options around Europe and have identified clubs in Holland, Portugal, France and Belgium as part of what one source told i was a “thorough and rigorous” process to determine how to launch a multi-club network that could one day rival Manchester City’s best-in-class City Football Group.
Last week an official from Newcastle was given a tour of the training ground and met club officials at KV Oostende, who have just been relegated from Belgium’s top flight. But Newcastle sources have stressed talks were preliminary and the weekend visit was part of a wider investigation to determine the best move for Newcastle.
Oostende are owned by Pacific Media Group, who have overseen a disastrous relegation that has turned the supporter base against them. The American group also own League One side Barnsley and French club Nancy but have struggled to recreate some early success in the Jupiler Pro League and look ready to cash in.
The price tag for the club is understood to be around the £8million mark, and they have also held talks with Wolves owners Fosun and Bournemouth’s new owner Bill Foley recently.
Multi-club ownership is increasingly seen as essential for ambitious Premier League clubs but as recently as February Uefa warned it could pose a “material threat to the integrity of European club competitions”. President Aleksander Ceferin said last month that a review of rules banning two clubs with the same ownership from playing in the same competition was due to take place.
But from Newcastle’s point of view it makes sense as they look to both grow their brand quickly and gain a sporting advantage in their attempts to meet their own super-sized ambitions.
Newcastle want to add a club in Europe to boost their ability to snap up the best young talent from around the continent. Post-Brexit eligibility rules means that Premier League clubs cannot sign any players under the age of 18, but having a partner club in Europe would allow them to circumvent those regulations by hot-housing talent before potentially moving them to Newcastle.
But Amanda Staveley admitted to the Business of Football summit earlier this year that they would tread carefully on multi-club ownership, acknowledging difficulties around entering domestic leagues they didn’t know much about.
They are currently overseeing a massive rebuilding project at Newcastle, adding roles and building infrastructure on both the football and business side of the club.
i understands the Magpies have been inundated with offers from clubs since Staveley’s quotes about building a multi-club network.
“It’s not just about cash, clubs have been impressed by the way the methodical way the club has transformed under the new ownership,” a source told i.
As the team look to strike a decisive blow in the battle for the top four by beating Spurs this weekend, further proof of their global ambitions has emerged as they look to add a Global Director of Brand, Marketing and Media to grow the club’s profile across the world.
They have targeted the Middle East and the US as potential markets for growth and will unveil a new main sponsor, most likely from Saudi Arabia, at the end of the season. Commercial growth is key to fuel ambitious transfer plans this summer.
As reported in i last month, James Maddison is a priority target ahead of a summer where the club intend to recruit decisively. They want five first team players and plan to add to the squad to be able to compete both in Europe – whether that’s in the lucrative Champions League or Europa League – and for domestic honours next season.
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