Leaked WhatsApp messages from Amanda Staveley, the former minority co-owner of Newcastle United, indicate that Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, played a significant role in the club's takeover. Reports emerged on Sunday detailing these communications. Staveley, who sold her shares and stepped down from Newcastle's board in July, was instrumental in facilitating the £305 million deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). She successfully navigated the takeover process, which was finalized in October 2021, after the Premier League received legally binding assurances regarding the separation between the Saudi state and the sovereign wealth fund. Both Staveley and the PIF have reaffirmed their commitment to the assurances provided to the Premier League.