Nick Forbes has asked the incoming Saudi owners of Newcastle United to "open a dialogue with fans" over the country's human rights record.
The Newcastle City Council leader told ChronicleLive that while the £305million club takeover was "exciting", it was important not to "brush the human rights issues under the carpet".
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, took an 80 per cent stake in the club promising to once again deliver Champions League football to St James' Park.
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But the takeover has raised eyebrows in some quarters, given Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses and bin Salman's involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Asked if he was concerned about the abuses, councillor Forbes said: "I don't want to brush the human rights issues under the carpet.
"So, what I've done is I've asked the incoming owners to open a dialogue with fans, so that fans feel that they have a route to express and raise those concerns, in a way that feels constructive and that collectively we can make sure that the club's values and what the club is seeking to achieve align with the city's values around being a city of sanctuary and a city of peace.
"And that I think is a really exciting opportunity for us because there's no doubt that the new owners of a club don't just see the limits of their investment within the bounds of a club.
"I have no doubt they're going to want to talk to us about opportunities for investment in the city. And we therefore need to make sure that investment is in line with our values, our plan, and our ambitions for the future."
He added: "Newcastle United is our city's biggest international brand and that I think presents us an opportunity to think about the investment that could come alongside this."
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