Pochettino was relieved of his duties at Spurs back in November, but the club continue to pay his substantial £8.5m-a-year wages, and now the Argentine is being linked with Newcastle.

Amnesty's UK director Kate Allen wrote a letter saying there were serious questions to address but Masters insisted 'due process' would take place.

A £300million buyout of the north-east club, backed by the country's public investment fund, is reportedly close to being finalised.

The UK government have been urged by its own members to take an active role in scrutinising the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United following calls for the deal to be blocked.

The Human Rights Foundation have become the latest campaign group to write to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters condemning the takeover of Newcastle.

A year has passed since the beheading of 37 Saudi men and still the families wait to receive the bodies. At the time, they did not even know their loved ones had been executed.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden has been slammed for failing to intervene in the proposed takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi-led consortium.

The Saudi consortium's proposed takeover means that they are set to hold an 80 per cent stake in the club, putting American Henry Mauriss' attempt to buy Newcastle on the back burner.

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.

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.

First-team players are expected to return to training next week, providing Government's formal review and Premier League shareholders' meeting agree to finish the current campaign.

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.

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.

LAWRENCE BOOTH IN KANDY: England clinched a series victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday morning after taking the final three minutes in little over half an hour.

England will step up their preparations for Euro 2020 with a friendly against Denmark next March. The two sides will lock horns on March 31 at Wembley.

Meghan Markle has returned to her old stomping grounds of Los Angeles, as she intends to take over Hollywood.

Dancing On Ice stars Alexander Demetriou and Carlotta Edwards have reportedly  taken 'a break from their marriage' amid his alleged closeness with skate partner Higgins.

Russia-born Valeria Lipovetsky is regularly asked if she's a teenager, and she's told she's doesn't look old enough to have three children, she revealed in a video posted to TikTok .

Justin Bieber has been enduring a tranquil lockdown with wife Hailey, 23, at their mansion in Canada.

Canada police drew their guns on a female worker, 19, dressed as a stormtrooper at a Star Wars-themed restaurant thinking her blaster was a real weapon on Monday.

Opening up on his drug addiction, homelessness and time in prison, the ex-West Coast Eagle star said he was 'scared' at what heroin would do to him and could not promise he would stay out of jail.

Uber has unveiled its futuristic new flying taxi, which the company plans to launch for airport commuters in Melbourne by 2023. 

Nicholas Forman (right), 23, of Perkiomen Township, Pennsylvania, has been arrested and charged by Montgomery County authorities in the brutal murder of 22-year-old Sabrina Harooni (left).

Businesses are using 'dark kitchens' to sell takeaway food online.They are being sold by people without hygiene training through social media and with no clear allergen information - posing a 'health threat'.

A hungry couple from Clapham, south-west London were left shocked after they caught their delivery driver spilling their food on the pavement, before scooping it up and ringing their doorbell.

Uber Eats revealed the most popular takeout orders in 35 states for the month of March, with French fries topping the list and pad Thai coming in a close second.

Championship clubs are determined to resume playing and finish the season no matter what - even if it means completing the remaining fixtures behind closed doors.

West Brom chief executive Mark Jenkins will take a 100 per cent pay cut, with Baggies senior management team having also offered to take large reductions in their wages.

Norwich midfielder Alexander Tettey has claimed that Tottenham's style of play has changed immensely under Jose Mourinho and accused the Portuguese of having a negative approach. 

Jenas, who played for the Magpies in the Champions League, thinks the buyers will want to revolutionise his former side and bring back the ambition that was lacking under Ashley

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Manchester United players are taking legal advice about the salaries they can demand next season if the current campaign is scrapped.

CNN's Don Lemon and his fiance Tim Malone were spotted vacationing in Florida with their two adorable pups, Boomer and Barkley, on Saturday. The couple shared a kiss as they held their poodles.

Dustin Hice (left), 39, filed suit against Don Lemon (right), 53, last August alleging that the CNN star assaulted him at a Hamptons bar. Lemon denies the allegations.

Former Vice President Joe Biden accidentally stated on Thursday during a CNN town hall that his late son Beau was the US Attorney General instead of the Attorney General of Delaware.

WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: During the first half of the pre-season fixture, Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross went to clear the ball on the byline under pressure from Marc Albrighton.

EXCLUSIVE: Sportsmail understands that candidates to replace Michael O'Neill believe they would have to wait until after Euro 2020 finals to take over should the team make it through.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: George North has started to notice something on those occasions when he cannot hide from the inevitable.

George North looks likely to line up at outside centre in Wayne Pivac's new-look Wales team to face Italy as Rhys Webb is set for a recall.

Wales and their fly-half might have been the fancy Dans last week against Italy, but it will be back to basics for Biggar & Co in Dublin on Saturday.

EXCLUSIVE: When it comes to Shaun Edwards and rugby, emotion usually drives everything. But Saturday's Wales clash is strictly business. He does not do teary-eyed returns.

NIK SIMON: England face Wales in a mouth-watering Six Nations clash seeking revenge after suffering defeat in Cardiff a year ago.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced on Tuesday that they had to take further measures to reduce costs with no money incoming with postponed indefinitely during pandemic.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT OLD TRAFFORD: Steve Smith accused England of playing into his hands after he continued to punish their bowling with a magnificent 211 in Manchester.

PAUL NEWMAN AT OLD TRAFFORD: Joe Root was battered and bruised as he tried desperately to keep England afloat at Old Trafford but he just could not steer his ship to Ashes safety.

PAUL NEWMAN AT THE OVAL: It did not quite inspire pronouncements on sandwich boards that 'He's out' as news of Don Bradman's demise was once greeted at the Oval.

Real estate agent Emma McCarthy, 27, shared a photo with the smiling spin bowler captioned: 'Keeping the urn, so proud of you.' Steve Smith was seen sharing a kiss with wife Dani Willis.

Ten of the UK's most iconic oaks, sycamores and pines have been shortlisted for the 2019 Tree of the Year award. One on the Isle of Wight, that is shaped like a dragon, was listed.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Make no mistake: BJ Watling, who brought up his eighth Test hundred an hour into the evening session, played superbly.