Former Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu criticizes club's Saudi-takeover

41-year-old says he wished a 'Geordie' had bought the English club instead

By Hilmi Sever

ANKARA (AA) - Former Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu expressed on Wednesday his displeasure over the recent Saudi-backed acquisition of the English club.

Talking to reporters in Istanbul before a training session, Belozoglu, who now coaches Turkish club Basaksehir, said: "World football is really a big cake now. Clubs are bought and sold."

The 41-year-old said he respects the local football culture of Newcastle area, and "I wish a Geordie – a nickname for a person from the Tyneside area of north-east England, around Newcastle – had bought the club."

"But we also have to accept the realities of world football," he added.

On Oct. 7, the Premier League confirmed the takeover of Newcastle led by the Public Investment Fund – Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

Belozoglu played for Newcastle between 2005 and 2008, scoring six goals and 12 assists in 80 games.

Earlier, Newcastle manager Steve Bruce parted ways with the club by mutual consent.

* Writing by Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

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