Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted he would have “no issue” with Newcastle United agreeing a new huge-money deal with Riyadh Air.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the Magpies would be justified in taking big sponsorship cash from the Gulf airline as the publicity they provide is “very valuable”.
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Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider (29 September) that Newcastle could have more scope to land sizeable deals linked to their Saudi Arabian owners if Man City win their Associated Party Transactions (APT) case against the Premier League.
As per Arabian Business Gulf Insight (23 September), speculation is growing about the Magpies striking a lucrative deal with Riyadh Air – who have made an aggressive push into football sponsorship.
The flag carrier is the sponsor of Atletico Madrid, the Champions League – and have agreed a sponsorship deal with Concacaf.
Saudia are Newcastle’s current airline partner in a deal which was agreed in 2022 and extended last year (2023).
Wyness has ‘no issue’ with Newcastle scoring Riyadh Air deal
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I don’t know what the valuation would be for a potential Riyadh Air deal.
“But as long as it is around the valuation of similar airline deals at other clubs, I don’t see an issue with it.
“There are more than enough airline deals with other clubs and Emirates and so on – and they’ve been adjusted with inflation and the modern day.
A general view after the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal at St. James’s Park, Newcastle on Monday 16th May 2022.
Photo by Will Matthews/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“I don’t see any issues with Newcastle doing this and it being within the APT rules.
“The publicity they give the airline is very valuable, so I’ve got no problem with it.”
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