It took Amanda Staveley years to get a Newcastle United deal over the line.
She first emerged as a contender to buy Newcastle United from Mike Ashley in 2017. It was not until 2021 when a deal was finally completed, and by then she had the backing of PIF.
Amanda Staveley then shockingly left Newcastle United over the summer, with her shares sold off to PIF and the Reuben family.
It was a surprise to see Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi depart St James’ Park. They were key figures on Tyneside – everything that has happened in recent years would not have been possible without them.
Their exits were followed by questions of ‘what next’, as well as rumours over investment at one of Newcastle United’s Premier League rivals.
Amanda Staveley is interested in Tottenham following Newcastle departure
In recent months, there have been whispers about Staveley and Ghodoussi investing in Tottenham Hotspur.
Ghodoussi was recently spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while it has been reported that Staveley could bring Eddie Howe to Spurs if she is able to buy a stake in the club.
The Staveley to Tottenham situation is rather strange, but it could become a reality.
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According to the Athletic, Staveley’s interest in investing in Tottenham Hotspur is genuine, with the interest becoming more intense in recent months.
They add that Staveley is looking to purchase a minority stake in Tottenham and would be ‘hands-on’.
The Athletic also report that Staveley has financial backers from USA and the Middle East, unlike the Newcastle United deal that saw the Magpies become a state-owned club thank to the riches of PIF.
Tottenham were against the Newcastle takeover
Staveley was and still is adored on Tyneside. She built up a real emotional connection with the Newcastle United fans, giving supporters hope during a really difficult period. Her desire to get the takeover done is why Newcastle are looking up, even if she has since departerd.
And getting the takeover done was not easy. Rumours of the PIF approach emerged in January 2020, and it was not until October 2021 that the £305million deal was signed off.
There were many obstacles, such as piracy and whether Mohammed bin Salman would be involved.
There was also pushback from Newcastle’s Premier League rivals, with the Times reporting in July 2020 that Tottenham and Liverpool were opposed to the deal going through.
The deal eventually did go through, and now Staveley is trying to buy shares in one of the clubs that wanted to derail the PIF takeover.