The impact Qatari interest in Leeds United could have on Newcastle United

This might sound crazy, but depending on how one looks at the situation, Newcastle United could benefit from a Qatari takeover of Leeds United.

While Newcastle United wait for the Premier League to give their takeover the green light, another club in England might find itself in a takeover of its own. Rumor has it that the Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) group, which also owns PSG, is interested in purchasing Championship outfit Leeds United.

Leeds United are currently on the path of promotion to the Premier League, and they could actually jump to first place if the EFL decide to conclude the season using the points per game methodology. So far, you are reading this and asking yourself why on earth this would benefit Newcastle United.

It depends on how you look at the situation. On one end, if the QSI group enter negotiations and purchase Leeds United in the near future, Newcastle United would have yet another competitive side to worry about. The current objective for the Magpies is to leapfrog Everton and Wolverhampton in the battle for a European spot. A wealthy, ambitious Leeds United side would complicate all that.

On the other hand, the tension between Saudi Arabia and Qatar could incite Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) to invest more heavily in Newcastle United. In other words, the political rivalry between the two nations could force Prince Salman to spend more money to keep the Saudi-owned club ahead of their Qatari-owned counterparts.

The neighboring states severed diplomatic relations with each other in the summer of 2017. Political tension between Saudi Arabia and Qatar only began to improve a few months ago, but the relationship is still tenuous and they are far from being allies.

In addition, due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, Leeds United would be in the same boat as Newcastle United in terms of needing to find new ways to generate more income. However, the fact that Newcastle United have been in the Premier League for the last three seasons places them at a major advantage in terms of spending power.

That being said, Leeds United would not be an immediate threat to Newcastle United if the QSI group enter takeover negotiations and complete a deal. If the QSI group act on their interest, submit a formal takeover bid and it gets approved, it would be interesting to see how the PIF would react.