Amanda Staveley confident PIF will not move for Liverpool, Manchester United

Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley is confident that PIF (Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund) will not consider moving for Manchester United or Liverpool.

There is currently widespread speculation surrounding the ownership situations at Man United and Liverpool, who are widely considered to be the two biggest clubs in English football.

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani have made offers for Man United, but there has also been suggestions of interest from Saudi Arabia.

Staveley was recently asked about the situation and insisted that she was not concerned that Newcastle's majority shareholders could have their heads turned by the situations at Anfield and Old Trafford.

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"When we looked at Newcastle, we were very clear we wanted a club with a passionate fanbase. We got that. We also wanted a club we could buy affordably because we (Staveley and husband Mehrdad Ghoudoussi) are also partners with PIF," Staveley told the Financial Times Football Summit.

"We are not that wealthy. We're the poor partner and that helps govern a lot of decisions. We didn't go for the wonderful Tottenham [Hotspur] and Chelsea and Liverpool.

"I'm a massive Liverpool fan and we tried to buy them but we walked into a Newcastle game and said 'why spend X billion when you can spend £350m (on Newcastle)?'"

"No, I don't think so (if PIF could switch their interest). I can't speak for PIF but I really can't see that happening. We've built in the last year from 11th to hoping we have a chance of the Champions League.

"We have put in £200m to date of new money. And we have a business plan based on a five, 10, 15-year timeline. With FFP rules as tight as they are, we really need to do everything we can to grow our revenue and grow our finances."

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Newcastle missed the chance to land major silverware last weekend, as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Man United in the final of the EFL Cup.

However, Eddie Howe's side are firmly in the race for a top-four spot in the Premier League at this stage of the campaign, sitting fifth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand.

Man United, meanwhile, are third, eight points ahead of Newcastle, and the 20-time English champions can still win a quadruple this season.

Liverpool, though, have struggled this term, and the team are facing a last-16 exit in the Champions League, currently trailing 5-2 to Real Madrid after the first leg.

Jurgen Klopp's side are sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, ahead of their clash with Man United at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.