Newcastle co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi to leave club in bombshell development

Newcastle United's co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi are reportedly on their way out of the club. It comes after they had played an instrumental role in bringing the Saudi Arabian investment on board in the first place, which has seen the Magpies trouble Liverpool towards the business end of the Premier League table.

The pair, who were pivotal in brokering the Saudi-backed takeover that saw the end of Mike Ashley's 14-year reign at St James' Park, have seen their influence wane. The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) holds an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle, with Staveley's share having been reduced to less than 10 per cent earlier this year.

Despite previous speculation, Staveley had dismissed rumors of her resignation from the club earlier this year, stating: "Just arrived back from Saudi and noticed a lot of messages from fans concerned that I had stepped down from my role as a Director of Newcastle United. I have not — the changes made last week were purely administrative, to non trading subsidiaries."

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She further clarified her position and commitment to the club by saying: "After the takeover, Jamie and I stepped in as directors of all companies until we could build an executive team. We remain on the 'top-co' and the Board."

Staveley also expressed her gratitude towards the Newcastle supporters: "I'd like to thank everyone for their incredible support over the last few years, and particularly for people taking the time to share their thoughts. We have the best fans in the world - and I am privileged and proud to be a part of your community," reports Chronicle Live.

Her involvement has seen significant developments, including the revitalization of the Newcastle women's team and key transfers such as Kieran Trippier, Matt Targett, and Bruno Guimaraes. The north-east outfit finished fourth in the 2022/23 Premier League season, denying Liverpool the final Champions League spot.

However, following the appointments of sporting director Dan Ashworth (who has since moved on to Manchester United) and CEO Darren Eales, Staveley's role seemingly diminished. On the pitch, meanwhile, Newcastle dropped out of the European places amid a severe injury crisis.

Following the recent appointment of new sporting director Paul Mitchell, Staveley has reportedly stepped down from her role at Newcastle United altogether. That's according to The Athletic, with a "no comment" statement from the club earlier today.

Liverpool.com says: Interesting developments, and ones Liverpool will no doubt be watching closely. Despite only ever being a minority owner, Staveley was often the public face of the Newcastle investment group, which has repeatedly come under scrutiny since its arrival in the league.

There are big-picture questions about state involvement in football clubs, ones which Staveley arguably helped to sidestep in her position as a private investor. In terms of the day-to-day, Newcastle recently saw its big transfer spending catch up with it, as it was forced into some creative business ahead of the June 30 PSR deadline that saw the prospect of Anthony Gordon moving to Liverpool briefly floated.

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