Graeme Souness hit out at Saudi Arabian investment in the Premier League (Picture: ITV)

Graeme Souness says Saudi Arabia ‘shouldn’t be anywhere’ his former club Newcastle United.

The Magpies were sold to a Saudi-backed consortium in October 2021 for a fee of around £305m, ending Mike Ashley’s ownership of the club.

The Premier League approved the takeover after receiving “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control the club and the Public Investment Fund in control of the club is said to put forward 80% of the club’s funding.

But Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, is listed as the chair of the PIF which has raised question marks over the country’s involvement in the club.

The issue of sportswashing is in focus at the moment due to Qatar’s controversial hosting of the World Cup.

States and nations with questionable human rights records are accused of investing in western brands as a means to cleanse their image.

And, speaking ahead of Saudi Arabia’s clash with Argentina today, Souness says the nation should have nothing to do with his former club.

Newcastle United’s Saudi Arabian chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan (C) and minority owner Amanda Staveley (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

‘Football is such a vehicle for good and bad,’ said Souness.

‘The sportswashing that’s going on in our own country. You look at Newcastle, there’s no way the Saudis should have NUFC they shouldn’t be anywhere near it.

‘But it’s not an ideal world that we operate in. The Saudis have been investing in our country for decades. They’ve infiltrated every level of our society.

‘Football now has such a profile that the Saudis see it, people in Abu Dhabi see it, Americans see it as an opportunity to improve the image of whatever brand they’ve involved with.

‘Right now it’s a big story about Man City but that brand of Man City and whatever clubs they’ve bought by the Abu Dhabi Royal Family there’s only good news about them around the world.

‘I suppose Qatar will look at Abu Dhabi with a bit of jealousy and after this tournament they’ll be hoping [to do the same].

‘It’s in their hands to improve works rights, it’s in their hands to improve diversification of the country. The LGBTQ+ society won’t go quietly, they’ll be on it long after this world cup. That’s the risk they’ve [Qatar] taken. They’ve highlighted the problems within this country and people will be on them for the foreseeable future, if not forever.’