Saudi Arabian consortium

Saudi Arabian consortium completes Newcastle takeover

To be more precise, it felt like all their Christmases had arrived at once from the Middle East on a black and white sleigh loaded with the world's best footballers.

Confirmation that a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund had been given the go-ahead to complete a deal that hit the rocks last year means one of England's most under-achieving clubs embarks on a new era.