Liverpool is owned by Americans. Newcastle by Saudi Arabia. City by the UAE. If you understand the history, it’s clear that Saudi Arabia has far closer ties with the U.S. than with the UAE — going all the way back to the 1930s, and the relationship only gets stronger, with billions still flowing into the U.S. today.
So while I’m not saying they would never do business with us in a sporting sense, for this particular player — one of their most prized assets — I highly doubt they’d want to strengthen a direct rival like us. If it came down to us or Liverpool, I’m almost certain they’d choose Liverpool. "So our Arab Brothers up in the North East" are not as brotherly as you may think or hope.