The Premier League wrote to the United States government in February urging it to keep Saudi Arabia on a watch list because it said the country 'remained a centre for piracy', reports, www.sportspromedia.com/.

The revelation comes as the league considers a takeover of Newcastle United which would involve the country's Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking an 80 per cent stake in the club.

The would-be buyers must pass the league's owners' and directors' test, which looks at whether those involved have the funds to proceed and also whether they have been involved in anything which has been found to be, or could be deemed to be, criminal activity.

The PA news agency understands the test is the final hurdle for the takeover consortium to clear before the UK£300million (US$367 million) deal is complete.

A letter from the league to the US Trade Representative (USTR) dated 5th February of this year, which has been seen by PA, talked about the competition's ultimately unsuccessful attempts to take legal action against pirate network BeoutQ through the Saudi legal system, and complains about a 'failure to take action' against the pirates by the Saudi government itself.