The Saudi Investment Fund's takeover of Newcastle United appears to be edging ever closer, as the COO of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has become closely involved with the deal.

EXCLUSIVE: BeIN Sports have written to the Premier League urging chief executive Richard Masters to block the £300million deal for Newcastle, citing illegal streaming of matches in Saudi Arabia.

It appears that current owner Mike Ashley is edging forever closer to selling the club to a bid led by Amanda Staveley which is backed by the wealth of the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

The Premier League asked the United States government to keep Saudi Arabia on its piracy watch list before beginning checks on Newcastle United's Saudi-led takeover.

It is the news Newcastle fans have been dreaming about for years - a big-money takeover and the possible departure of Mike Ashley. But how does a deal actually happen? Our expert reveals all.

Newcastle's proposed takeover would rocket them into the bracket of the world's wealthiest sports club. Temuri Ketsbaia feels the spending would have to be ruthless from day one.

The BBC, another key Premier League partner, has also complained to the European Commission about Saudi Arabia regarding TV piracy, which could scupper state's bid to buy Newcastle.

Newcastle's first team stars have launched a bid to save boss Steve Bruce with the club's prospective new owners keen to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as manager, according to The Sun.

Matt Ritchie believes Newcastle team-mate Jonjo Shelvey could play for Barcelona 'if only his head was screwed on'. Shelvey, 28, has been capped six times by England.

The manager was sacked in November and was paid the same fee in compensation, but part of the agreement means any club wishing to employ him within six months has to repay Spurs that amount.

The £300m deal is awaiting the League's approval but that process is understood to have been held up given the complexity of broadcast piracy allegations against the Saudi state.

Assuming the takeover goes through, Newcastle's spending power would be transformed with former Tottenham manager Pochettino seen as the man to deliver a potential title challenge.

LAWRENCE BOOTH IN MOHALI: England appeared to be losing their battle to stay in with a chance of series success after Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin helped India dominate day three.

Haseeb Hameed and Joe Root's admirable resistance proved too little too late as England lost the third Test by eight wickets. Here, Sportsmail's Lawrence Booth takes a look at the talking points.

England were made to toil on day three of the fifth and final Test in Chennai as Lokesh Rahul hit 199. LAWRENCE BOOTH casts his eye over the day's action at the Chidambaram Stadium.

England were skittled twice in 96.1 overs – the equivalent of just over a single day’s play. The last time they lost 20 wickets in fewer overs in a home Test was against Australia at Headingley in 2009.

TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: As he did against South Africa last month, Root has begun this series against West Indies with a century. And the clenched fist conveyed a simple truth: it was a hundred he needed.

TOP SPIN SPECIAL: England’s Ashes hopes are long gone, but here Sportsmail looks at five final Ashes Tests which were ‘dead rubbers’ but had ramifications beyond the result of the game.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT OLD TRAFFORD: Jos Buttler inspired England to a series whitewash after posting an unbeaten century in the final ODI against Australia on Sunday.

England's first Test with India is on a knife-edge heading into day four at Edgbaston. Here, Sportsmail's LAWRENCE BOOTH takes a look at the major talking points from the day's play.

Romelu Lukaku last night apologised to former manager Steve Clarke after putting Scotland to the sword in Brussels. The Manchester United superstar struck twice in a 3-0 win.

The 33-year-old made his managerial bow for Anderlecht, but his tenure got off to a rocky start. Kompany was still afforded a rapturous response, although his team were jeered at full time.

Former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has hit back at those who racially abused him during Inter Milan's Serie A clash with Cagliari on Sunday night.

Vincent Kompany says a lack of diversity within football institutions is part of the problem in tackling racism in the game. The Anderlecht boss has condemned fans who abused Romelu Lukaku.

STEPHEN MCGOWAN AT HAMPDEN PARK: Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans made headlines by comparing a game against Scotland to playing San Marino. 

ADAM SHERGOLD: Gareth Southgate believes England's forward line is as exciting as any other team in the world. But how does his attacking options measure up against some of the world's best?

Anderlecht starlet Yari Verschaeren is attracting strong interest from Premier League Southampton after making his senior Belgium debut at the age of just 18.

The winger joined Real Madrid in a £150million deal from Chelsea in the summer but has failed to meet expectations. He arrived in Madrid carrying extra weight and has struggled to shift it.

Romelu Lukaku scored his 50th international goal as Belgium thrashed San Marino on Thursday and became the first side through to the Euro 2020 finals.

Former Manchester City defender Omar Elabdellaoui is being lined up for a return to England by a string of Premier League clubs. Leicester and Watford are among the sides monitoring him.

Former Everton star Kevin Mirallas has opened up on his turbulent time with the Toffees, which included an awkward meeting with Aaron Lennon after a move to Tottenham fell through.

Russia have confirmed they will play their upcoming Euro 2020 Group I qualification matches in their old kit as their new strip inverts the country's flag.

Mick McCarthy says he is happier knowing Ireland have to beat Denmark on Monday to qualify for Euro 2020 - and he is considering using Spurs teenager Troy Parrott in the high-profile match.

If there is an edge to the game, then it comes from recent unflattering comments by the Danes about the Irish style of play. Now the manager intends to use those words as a motivational tool.

The Republic of Ireland take on Denmark in their final Euro 2020 qualifying game tonight at the Aviva Stadium. Follow all the action from the 7.45pm GMT kick-off with SAM MCEVOY.

Reports suggested Hazard was a stone overweight when he went on Real's pre-season tour of North America while former team-mate John Obi Mikel labelled him as one of the worst trainers he'd seen.

BELGIUM 6-1 CYPRUS The away side took a shock lead in the 14th minute through Ioannou before Crystal Palace striker hit back moments later from close range.

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku declared that he has been 'a man on a mission' ever since Belgium's third-placed finish at the 2018 World Cup.

Piers Morgan hit out at Prince Harry's comments in leaked telephone recordings that emerged last night from Russian hoaxers who contacted the Duke of Sussex at his luxury Canada hideaway.

In her role as Commodore-in-Chief of the Canadian navy, Princess Anne will Visit HMCS Regina, at sea, boarding in Vancouver and travelling to Esquimalt on Vancouver Island on May 1.

The Duke of Sussex was reportedly in Buckingham Palace yesterday for a series of meetings to plan his future work in the UK while wife Meghan returned to their son Archie in Canada.

MLS have announced that they have suspended their league season for the next 30 days due to the coronavirus outbreak - delaying David Beckham's first home game as Inter Miami owner. 

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, 44, began displaying mild flu-like symptoms, including a low fever, on Wednesday night. She is currently self-isolating at her Ottawa home as she awaits test results.

Many people have either cancelled or postponed their travel amid the coronavirus outbreak, however, that's not the case for Jana Kramer and her family.

Sony's comic-book adaptation Bloodshot, with Vin Diesel, grossed an estimated $9.3million from 2,861 venues from Friday to Sunday in the US and Canada.

Starbucks will temporarily switch to a 'to-go' model for many of its stores in the US for at least two weeks and it will shut down cafes in 'high social-gathering locations', including malls.

Canadians Crystal Drinkwalter, 25, and Jazmyn Canning, 26, spent $18,400 turning a Mercedes van into a cozy home. They have no toilet but say they take a shovel when they go to bathroom.

A former traveler on board the MSC Meraviglia got off in Miami on March 8 leaving the ship's 103 remaining passengers to continue on to the next destination. He tested positive for coronavirus.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to Canada in the nick of time as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada will close its borders to non-citizens on Monday.

Australia's first female PM Julia Gillard has self-isolated in London after hugging Canada's first lady Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at a WE Day youth charity event at Wembley Stadium.