Newcastle United’s new Saudi Arabia owners have looked into the possibility of bringing in Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone as their new first-team boss according to Madrid-based media outlet AS.
The news outlet also revealed that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) also want to hire Atletico’s sporting director Andrea Berta alongside Simeone.
They reported that PIF are keen to ‘imitate’ the successful model at Atletico, who won LaLiga last season.
The thinking is the Atletico management team can get the Toon to the level where they can compete with the Prem’s top clubs in the same way they have in Spain with Atleti against the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The AS report highlights the transfer model at the Spanish champions, which sees Berta working closely with CEO Miguel Angel Gil to come up with three transfer targets, out of which Simone can choose one.
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It says PIF started laying the track to bring in the Atletico duo at the start of 2020, around the time they were linked with the Toon takeover.
The article acknowledges tempting Atletico legend Simone and Berta to take on ‘this new Premier League adventure’ is likely to be ‘very complicated’.
But it adds Newcastle’s £320billon net-worth owners have the financial power to make them an offer that ‘few teams’ in the world can match.
Steve Bruce is still Newcastle manager despite speculation he is about to be sacked following an eight-game winless streak which has left them second-from-bottom in the Prem.
Argentina hero Simeone, 51, is regarded as a legend at Atletico for his achievements there as a player and manager.
Since his appointment as boss in 2011, Atleti have won LaLiga twice, the Europa League twice, and reached two Champions League finals
In the summer he signed a contract extension until 2024 and it was reported he would have to take a pay cut to his £28million-a-year salary due to financial pressures caused by Covid-19.
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