Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has made a fresh demand to PIF following the appointment of David Hopkinson as CEO.
With the Premier League and Champions League campaigns the main focus for Eddie Howe and his squad, the trials and tribulations of the summer become more of a memory.
Newcastle United fought tooth and nail in their attempt to make major signings. In the end, Howe welcomed six new senior players to the club, with the likes of Nick Woltemade joining Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa on Tyneside.
However, the Magpies struggled to land top players throughout the summer, missing out on the likes of Joao Pedro and Hugo Ekitike. Perhaps those deals could have been completed with little hassle had a sporting director been in place.
Paul Mitchell left Newcastle in June, leaving Steve Nickson and Andy Howe to lead negotiations during the transfer window. With the summer window now a thing of the past, Howe has made his demands to PIF known in his latest press conference.
Dan Burn poses with Paul Mitchell and Eddie Howe at Newcastle United's training centre.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Eddie Howe is ‘desperate’ for a new sporting director at Newcastle United
Howe has prior experience working on transfers thanks to his time at Bournemouth. However, Newcastle need a dedicated recruitment expert and negotiator to help bring in the best possible players.
Mitchell joined Newcastle with a big reputation, but left after 12 months without making a single major signing on Tyneside. PSR was an issue for him throughout his time at the club, but he did not stay long enough to reap the benefits of a lucrative summer.
Reports suggest that Ross Wilson will become Newcastle’s new sporting director, leaving Nottingham Forest, but an official announcement is yet to be made by either club.
MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES
With his appointment seemingly imminent, Howe has reacted to speculation that he does not work well alongside a sporting director.
“I don’t know where that’s come from. I’m desperate for a sporting director,” he told the press.
“We need that person, his expertise, it is a never-ending network.
“I had a very good relationship with Dan Ashworth, a very good relationship with Richard Hughes at Bournemouth. We need the right man and we need the position filled.”
Eddie Howe’s Paul Mitchell exclusion from sporting director statement is telling
While Mitchell’s time on Tyneside was short-lived, he still had some success at Newcastle. Mitchell signed the likes of Antonio Cordero, Kyle Fitzgerald and Baran Yildiz, all of whom look like bright young talents with big careers ahead of them.
Additionally, Mitchell negotiated the sale of Lloyd Kelly to Juventus, bagging Newcastle a handy PSR boost for a player they signed on a free in 2024.
Newcastle United can announce that Sporting Director, Paul Mitchell, will leave the club by mutual consent at the end of June 2025.
Paul leaves with the club's best wishes and the Board would like to express its sincere thanks to him for his professionalism and diligent service.
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) May 27, 2025
View Tweet
Despite that, it is common knowledge that Howe did not have a good relationship with Mitchell, as he felt the Wythenshawe-born chief was stepping on his toes far too much.
Howe had previously shared his disappointment in Ashworth’s exit, but has said next to nothing about Mitchell’s departure. Now, failing to include him in his comments about a sporting director on Friday is telling about the relationship they have.
It was reported last year that Howe nearly left Newcastle because of Mitchell, a telling sign that the two just could not get along.