Newcastle United co-owner spotted at Chelsea vs Manchester United on 'secret scouting mission'

Newcastle United supporters were sceptical on social media after Mehrdad Ghodoussi posted a picture of him at Stamford Bridge.

The Magpies’ co-owner was in attendance as Chelsea clinched a dramatic 4-3 victory over Manchester United. The Red Devils were leading until the 99th minute when two last-gasp Cole Palmer strikes sunk Erik ten Hag’s men.

A draw would have probably been the best result for Newcastle as Chelsea now sit just one point behind - despite playing a game less. When looking up the table, a defeat for Man United leaves them four points ahead of the Magpies in sixth spot.

Toon shareholder Ghodoussi was probing from the directors’ box as the Red Devils blew their chance to gain ground on the Champions League places - or move clear of the chasing pack. Newcastle fans were puzzled why the 53-year-old - who lives in London - was at Stamford Bridge.

His appearance came on a day when the Daily Mail revealed Premier League clubs are leaning towards changing FFP/PSR regulations. Top-flight fears about relinquishing their dominance on the world stage are said to be a key factor behind a possible overhaul.

Constraints hampered spending in the January transfer window, with clubs spending £700million less than the previous year. The piece was also named Newcastle as part of a rebranded “big seven” in the Premier League.

This is not the first time Ghodoussi has attended a non-Newcastle game at Stamford Bridge. In August 2022, he and his wife, Amanda Staveley, watched Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur from Behdad Eghbali’s box, the co-founder of the Blues’ majority shareholders.

It was revealed that the Public Investment Fund - who own an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle - have billions of pounds managed by the investment firm. That led to concerns about a possible conflict of interest - strictly prohibited in Premier League rules

However, some Toon fans saw the funny side on social media, believing Ghodoussi was on a scouting mission. One fan posted: “#WelcomePalmer” - a cheeky nod to the Chelsea star who bagged a hat-trick last night.