(Reuters) - Newcastle United will be allowed to loan players from sides controlled by their Saudi owners in the January transfer window after a vote on a temporary ban on related-party loans did not get enough support from Premier League clubs, British media reported on Tuesday.
Thirteen Premier League clubs voted in favour of the temporary ban on loan moves between teams under the same ownership at a shareholders' meeting on Tuesday, the BBC reported, falling one vote short of the number needed for it to be introduced.
The vote means that Newcastle, who in October 2021 were acquired by a group led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), will be permitted to loan players from other clubs also owned by the fund.
PIF owns majority stakes in the Pro League's "big four" clubs -- Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr, and Al-Hilal -- who signed players including Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Ruben Neves and Neymar in the last transfer window.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
