Drake and LeBron James join fight against Newcastle United owners in £2.4bn deal

Drake and LeBron James have joined the fight against Newcastle United's owners as their £2.4bn deal is thrown into further doubt.

The musician and basketball legend are part of the group who swooped in to invest in the PGA Tour, unsettling Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan's plans to takeover golf.

The PIF-owned LIV Golf was set to merge with the more established PGA Tour after a 'civil war' which threatened the sport. The merger was announced last summer, but the two entities failed to complete the deal before the December 31 deadline. The delay saw a consortium, known as the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), swoop in and invest into the PGA Tour.

And now LeBron James and Drake have signed up to invest in the tour as part of the SSG, alongside Liverpool owner John Henry, actor Chris Pratt, as well as James' business manager Maverick Carter and agent Rich Paul.

It's reported the PGA Tour hopes the investment from the SSG will allow them to improve equity opportunities for its players and prevent more deflecting to the PIF-backed league. Currently, LIV is trailing behind the more established league in audience and viewer figures.

Despite talks, PIF and LIV pose a threat to the PGA Tour with two-time major champion Jon Ram signing a deal worth around £450m in December. And the poaching doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.

The investment from the Strategic Sports Group mixed with PIF's close scrutiny in the US means the wealth's fund leverage in the deal has been significantly reduced. Tiger Woods claimed last month that the tour no longer needs the money PIF are offering.

Newcastle United chairman and LIV Golf governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan was set to serve as chairman of the new entity, but now the move looks unlikely. And, yesterday, LIV Golf pulled out of its bid for world ranking points.