Newcastle United's owners took the first step towards their long-term goal earlier this week. Not the impending arrival of Sven Botman, but a new shirt sleeve sponsor noon.com.
The online retail giant, which is based in Riyadh, is a behemoth in the Middle East which rivals Amazon. However, there's much more to the deal that meets the eye. It's no secret the Magpies new owners are looking for investment in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
As pointed out by Football Finance expert Kieran Maguire, noon is partly owned by PIF, a clear sign of what supporters can expect on the horizon. Last year, the Premier League put a block on unproportionate sponsorship deals in an attempt to curb the likes of Newcastle and Manchester City's spending power, with both clubs opposing the new regulations but their efforts fell on deaf ears.
