British business executive Amanda Staveley has once again found herself at the centre of Premier League ownership speculation, this time with Tottenham Hotspur. Reports connected her with a potential move to buy the North London side – though Spurs’ hierarchy has firmly denied the club is on the market.
Staveley is no stranger to high-profile football deals. She was a driving force behind the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s takeover of Newcastle United in 2021, through her investment firm PCP Capital Partners. Following that deal, she and her husband, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, initially owned a 10% stake in the club. By the time the pair sold their shares and left Newcastle in July 2024, their holding had dropped to just 6%.
On Sunday, Tottenham’s board issued a statement confirming they had “received and unequivocally rejected” approaches from two different parties, one of which was Staveley’s PCP International Finance Limited. The following day, PCP publicly clarified that it had no intention of pursuing a purchase of Spurs.
Staveley’s reputation in business extends beyond football. Back in 2008, she played a role in securing Middle Eastern investment in Barclays Bank and was also heavily involved in Sheikh Mansour’s acquisition of Manchester City that same year.
Since stepping away from Newcastle last summer, Staveley has been vocal about looking for “great opportunities.” Tottenham seemed to fit that description, with its global profile, modern infrastructure, and strong commercial platform. Spurs are also unusual in being one of the few major Premier League clubs not to have changed ownership in the past 15 years. ENIC, however, remain adamant they have no plans to sell.
If history is any guide, Staveley may not give up easily. It took her nearly four years of persistence to get the Newcastle deal across the line, including one stage where her consortium announced they had walked away before returning with a fresh approach.
Even if her Spurs interest goes no further, this episode highlights her and Ghodoussi’s determination to re-establish themselves in football at the highest level. Both remain deeply attached to Newcastle – they were spotted at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final earlier this year – but are eager to be back in the thick of Premier League ownership.
Staveley’s time at Newcastle was significant. After taking on day-to-day control of a struggling side fighting relegation in 2021, she talked openly about ambitions of challenging for titles and the Champions League. She was central to appointing Eddie Howe as manager after an unsuccessful attempt to lure Unai Emery, and was also closely involved in the recruitment of players such as Bruno Guimarães, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento.
Her sudden departure last summer came as a surprise to many fans. A restructuring of ownership saw the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Reuben family buy out Staveley and Ghodoussi’s minority stake. Yet, while their chapter at Newcastle has closed, their ambitions in football clearly have not.
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