LONDON: English clubs such as Newcastle and Manchester City will be able to loan players from associated clubs in January after the defeat of a proposal for a temporary ban on loan deals between clubs with the same ownership.

A Premier League shareholders’ meeting in London featured a motion that would have outlawed related-party loan deals until at least the end of the season, by which point it was intended that a more permanent ruling would have been in place.

However, to be passed, the temporary restriction needed the support of 14 of the 20 clubs and was supported by ‘only’ 13, with seven voting against.

Now, for example, Newcastle will be free to agree January loan deals with the four Saudi Pro League clubs that are majority owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns 80 per cent of the Magpies.

That could mean Newcastle look to sign al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves on a season-long loan to help address the midfield issues that have been caused by the 10-month ban handed to Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali after he breached betting regulations.

Neves, who moved to Saudi Arabia from Wolves in the summer for a fee of around £47m, has been touted as a potential January target for Newcastle, whose financial dealings remain heavily constrained by the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play regulations.

Manchester City will also be able to continue to do business with the other clubs within the City Football Group, Chelsea can continue to trade with French side Strasbourg, which is also part-owned by Todd Boehly, and Crystal Palace can swap players with French club Lyon, who are also part-owned by Eagle Football Holdings Limited.

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