NEWCASTLE’S proposed takeover by Saudi interests has been slammed by human-rights campaigners, who have urged the club to reject the £300 million bid.

Current owner Mike Ashley has openly wanted to rid himself of the club and looks to have finally got his wish, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, close to buying the Premier League club. 

Ashley, who has made his billions exploiting workers at his Sports Direct sports-shop chain, and Newcastle have yet to confirm reports that the deal is close.

However, Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) sees the deal as another Saudi attempt at “sports-washing” it’s “brutal and authoritarian” regime.

Smith said: “If this immoral bid succeeds it will provide yet another propaganda vehicle for one of the most brutal and authoritarian regimes in the world. The last thing that Premiership football needs is the involvement of the Saudi dictatorship.

“This is sports-washing plain and simple. Football clubs are still community institutions, and should leave a positive footprint. Money should not trump values. The message that this deal would send is one of contempt for the many thousands of victims of Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and Yemen.”

CAAT pointed out that since the start of the bombing of Yemen in March 2015, Britain has willingly forked over £5.3 billion worth of arms to the blood-stained Saudi regime.

A Saudi takeover of Newcastle has also drawn criticism from Amnesty UK.

“We still need to see it for what it is: Saudi Arabia attempting to use the glamour and prestige of Premier League football as a PR tool to distract from the country’s abysmal human-rights record,” said Amnesty UK head of campaigns Felix Jakens.

“With the world in crisis there’s a risk this deal could go ahead without the degree of scrutiny it should receive.

“Under the Mohammed bin Salman regime, Saudi human-rights defenders have been subjected to a brutal crackdown, with numerous peaceful activists jailed — including Loujain al-Hathloul and other brave women’s-rights campaigners.

“There’s been a blatant whitewash over Jamal Khashoggi’s grisly murder and the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen has a disgraceful record of launching indiscriminate attacks on homes and hospitals.”

If the sale is completed, it is understood that the Saudi fund will own 80 per cent of Newcastle,  with Amanda Staveley and the Rueben Brothers taking 10 per cent each.