Premier League Chairman Set To Resign
Premier League chairman Gary Hoffman is on the brink of resigning following a backlash from clubs over its handling of the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United.
It is understood that the 61-year-old, who only took up the role 18 months ago, is close to finalising his exit after coming under increasing pressure to quit in the last few weeks.
Soon after his appointment, Hoffman received widespread criticism for his role played in the build of the European Super League (ESL) project and the current Newcastle ownership situation has only exacerbated concerns.
Clubs complained to the Premier League in October after it approved the Newcastle takeover, with frustration over how the consortium, spearheaded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, passed the owners’ and directors’ test.
In an effort to reduce the amount of money Newcastle can spend on transfers, the Premier League clubs agreed to ban related-party transactions to prevent Newcastle from striking commercial deals associated with the Saudi state or its Public Investment Fund.
Hoffman’s impending departure comes at a delicate time for English football, as clubs await on the findings of MP Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review which is set to be published next week.
