Newcastle United are expected to stay "on mission" after Manchester City were found guilty of 114 charges, with the club making no immediate comment in the aftermath. All Premier League clubs are now assessing their options and seeking legal advice about compensation, it is understood.
Clubs weigh compensation options
Newcastle did not comment in the immediate aftermath of the charges for City, and nor did PIF when contacted by ChronicleLive. But it is understood that all Premier League clubs are now assessing their options and seeking legal advice about compensation.
Man City have always denied any wrongdoing while the Premier League have refused to comment. Newcastle were made aware of the situation before things broke in the media.
The BBC also claims: "A select group of club directors were informed by email and had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they could read the document, a source told the BBC. It is not yet known when the decision of the panel will be announced officially."
Newcastle's revenue mission continues
Newcastle don't make snap judgements or instant verdicts, and while the enormity of the situation starts to land on the Premier League, it will be business as usual at St James' Park. The mission for Newcastle and PIF will be what it has been from day one, namely to start piling up the revenue and ensuring the club can operate without getting caught out by spending rules again.
Only this year, Newcastle were hit by a £5.2million fine from UEFA for financial sustainability regulations. The squad cost ratio rules from Europe's governing body caused Newcastle a headache, and they remain under observation from UEFA moving forward. Although there has always been full compliance from Newcastle, with CEO David Hopkinson going face-to-face with UEFA in Switzerland earlier this year.
If Man City are relegated, as many are forecasting due to massive points deductions, it could nudge Newcastle a further place up the ladder in the Premier League. But the fallout in terms of tightening regulations also then come back into the conversation.
Commercial growth and PIF backing
Newcastle knew from the day the takeover went through that eyes were on them from the Premier League and beyond. They bent over backwards to avoid PSR trouble when they sold star boy Elliot Anderson for just £35m to Nottingham Forest while Yankuba Minteh was also sold for £30m to Brighton.
Even having one of the richest backers in the world has not resulted in sweeping all before them because they have been keen to stick to the rules, only enduring a minor brush with UEFA while no sporting director or CEO was in place. Newcastle instead smartened up their commercial game, luring back Adidas, working with Sela, and now Knox Hydration and Coca-Cola, who are on the club sponsor list. And that's how it will stay with Hopkinson, vowing to crank up revenue by another 50%.
Hopkinson has been asked before about PIF's stance on where Newcastle are, and he told them it must be frustrating that they have money they can't shell out on new players and investements when taking the job. He 10 months ago: "You're talking about a fund where, the last time I looked, it had £1.2 trillion of investments. This is a major, major global player. But I truly believe in my heart of hearts that we are their favourite investment. I think we take up so much of their shared mind and heart, way more than would be warranted given the size of the investment."
"I feel like we're a special investment to them. I feel that, not because they tell me that, but because they show me that. I'm talking to the PIF every single day. The question about PIF is a good one - it was one of my questions during the recruitment. There's always different types of ownership - some are deeply connected, at every single match, every single day, others are much more hands off and just see it as an investment. This group at the PIF is very much in the former camp. It's every single day."
But climbing the revenue ladder is the only thing on Newcastle's list, what will be will be with Man City and it will be a side show in comparison, as the Magpies aim to stay ahead in the commercial game.
