Newcastle United have appointed Tomas Amaral as their new head of first team recruitment, filling the vacancy left by the 2026 departures of chief scout Steve Nickson and football executive Andy Howe.
The Portuguese talent spotter joins from Spartak Moscow, where he most recently served as Sporting Director. Earlier in his career he held a scouting leadership role at Benfica, a period that culminated in the club's most recent Primeira Liga title in 2023.
Amaral's track record
Amaral is best known for luring Argentina World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez to Lisbon from River Plate in 2022. Fernandez cost Benfica just £8.5m in July 2022 before starring at the World Cup with Argentina that winter. He was later bought by Chelsea for £106m and sold to Manchester City for £125m.
Speaking in 2025 about his best transfer success during his time at Benfica, Amaral said: "Enzo Fernandez. I'm passionate about him. He was the best player." In a separate interview with a Portuguese outlet that year, he added: "I saw it, and we saw it. But it's important to say that I would be lying if I said I already knew he would make the leap he made six months later, despite all the value and performance he had at Benfica. Anyone who says they already knew, in my opinion, is lying."
Club statement
A Newcastle statement announced: "We are pleased to announce the appointment of Tomas Amaral as the club's new Head of First Team Recruitment. Tomas arrives with extensive experience across European football, having built a reputation for talent identification, market intelligence and strategic squad planning through roles in Portugal, Spain and Russia."
The statement added: "Tomás' appointment forms part of Newcastle United's ongoing strengthening of its talent identification and recruitment structure. Reporting to Sporting Director Ross Wilson, Tomas will lead the club's first team scouting operation and will play an important role in further expanding the club's market presence and relationships across key territories. As part of the department's evolution, Paul Midgely will also report directly to Ross Wilson in overseeing Academy recruitment and global emerging talent scouting."
Reaction to appointment
Sporting director Ross Wilson said: "Tomás' appointment is an important step as we reshape and strengthen our recruitment structure. It was important that we identified a leader who could further enhance our capability and help drive our long-term ambitions, and Tomás has established an excellent reputation for his strategic approach to talent identification. He is highly respected across European football and brings significant experience, outstanding market knowledge and a strong network of relationships. I am delighted to welcome him to Newcastle United and look forward to working closely with him."
Amaral said: "It is with great pride and a strong sense of responsibility that I join Newcastle United, a historic club with passionate supporters who have high expectations and ambitions. From my very first conversations with Ross Wilson, I immediately understood the vision and the direction the club wants to take over the coming years. I strongly share the ideas and ambitions of the people at the club, and I am determined to play my part in contributing to Newcastle United's success. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone and getting started at a club with such high standards."
Amaral also had stints at Eibar, Real Valladolid, and Granada earlier in his career. He will now lead Newcastle's recruitment drive for 2027 and beyond.
