Saudi fund boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan is in the final stages of taking over as chairman of Newcastle United, sources told Sportsmail.
The head of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund is poised to become the public face of the club as part of the £300million takeover of Newcastle from retail tycoon Mike Ashley.
Al-Rumayyan is one of the most powerful men in Saudi Arabia as chairman of Saudi Aramco, the biggest oil company in the world, and governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
He must now pass the detailed checks of his fitness to run the club conducted by the Premier League.