Premier League supremo Richard Masters stopped short at saying sorry to Newcastle United fans for the club's agonising takeover process - but admitted lessons had been learned from the experience.
Masters broke his silence on the Newcastle sale to Amanda Staveley, Saudi Arabia's PIF and the Reuben brothers in an interview with the BBC.
When asked about the long-winded owners and directors test, which started in spring 2020 and ended in autumn 2021, Masters said: "There are lessons to be learned.
"It has probably been the most high-profile takeover in Premier League history, it is easy to maintain confidentiality when a takeover takes six to eight weeks.
"It has been controversial inside and outside the Premier League, you can learn about communication and being transparent about what is happening to fans and stakeholders."
When asked how the takeover was finally resolved for Mike Ashley and Staveley and co, Masters said: "There was over 18 months of discussion, legal challenges and when you resolve legal disputes there are limits to what you can say but we ended by coming to a solution around the legal assurances that the Saudi state would not be in control of the club."
And he insisted the suggestion of rows over piracy in Saudi Arabia were not a factor, insisting: "That had nothing to do with it.
"The issue was about control and we resolved that."
