Newcastle United have moved quickly to fill the void left by Dan Ashworth's departure to Manchester United by appointing Paul Mitchell as their new sporting director. Mitchell, 42, joins from Monaco, having previously held senior recruitment roles at RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton.
Mitchell's playing career was cut short by injury at age 27, after which he moved into scouting. He now takes over at St James' Park following Ashworth's exit, which was finalised last weekend after a compensation dispute between the two clubs. It is understood that Mitchell will focus more on recruitment than his predecessor, who had a broader remit, but he will also be involved in other areas including the women's team.
His appointment comes at a critical time for Newcastle, who narrowly avoided a potential points deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules by selling Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson for around £60 million last weekend. The settlement with Manchester United also helped balance the books. With a new PSR cycle now underway, the club is expected to strengthen its squad, and Mitchell will play a key role in that process.
Mitchell expressed his enthusiasm for the role, saying: 'I've seen the recent growth and ambition of the club. This, plus the amazing fanbase, made the decision to join an easy one. I can't wait to help continue the organisation’s growth and long-term competitiveness in all areas of elite football performance.' Chief executive Darren Eales added: 'Paul’s extensive and diverse experience in football leadership, cultural change and recruitment mean he is the ideal person to lead our sporting directorate.'
In other news, Newcastle midfielder Lewis Miley is expected to be sidelined until October after suffering a freak foot injury in training. The 18-year-old, who broke into the first team last season, had only recently returned from a back injury sustained on England Under-20 duty. He will undergo surgery on Monday and faces a three-month layoff.
