It has been a busy period for Newcastle United, both on and off the pitch.
The club has undoubtedly gone through a major period of change in the last year, with talk of new stadiums, training grounds and fresh sponsorships ramping up.
Reports claimed that Newcastle have created promotional stadium content ahead of Yasir Al-Rumayyan‘s final decision on whether St James’ Park will be knocked down or not.
PIF and Newcastle officials have worked hard behind the scenes to boost the commercial department within the club. Newcastle announced £320m in turnover for the 2023/24 financial year, a big sign that the project is starting to gain traction following the takeover in 2021.
Elsewhere, there is soon to be time for change as Newcastle CEO Darren Eales prepares to step down from his role. The 52-year-old was diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer last September, but valiantly continued his duties to ensure Newcastle are not stuck in their tracks as they look to find his successor.
With Eales waiting to be stood down, a new report has linked a Manchester United chief with his role in what would be a huge move from the PIF.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Newcastle set to raid Man United for high-ranking chief
Eales has been a big part of Newcastle’s progress since joining the club in 2022, essentially acting as the face for all of the club’s commercial decisions.
Recent reports have shared that Eales spoke to Newcastle staff about stadium plans, claiming that there is expected to be a 65,000 state-of-the-art ground built just in Leazes Park, just behind the original site.
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However, according to the Telegraph, Eales’ time at the club could soon be coming to an end as Man United chief Collette Roche has been linked with the role.
Newcastle are believed to be conducting a thorough search for Eales’ replacement and have identified Roche as one of several candidates for the position.
The report states that Roche took over from Dan Ashworth on the footballing side of operations after the former Newcastle director was sacked by Sir Jim Ratcliffe just five months after taking up the position. A positive for the Magpies is that Roche has vast experience in developing projects like Man United’s £50m revamp of their Carrington training base, as well as being a key figure in Man United’s new stadium project.
The report also claims that Vinai Venkatesham, the former Arsenal chief executive, has been linked with the position, which is believed to have attracted considerable interest.
Darren Eales can give Newcastle fans one last parting gift
Eales joined Newcastle with a wealth of experience from Tottenham Hotspur and Atlanta United. The chief has done exceptionally well to raise the club’s commercial income and continue to boost Newcastle’s world status.
In his first interview, Eales said he wanted Newcastle to be ‘world-class‘ when he first joined, and he can be proud of what he has achieved on Tyneside when he leaves – he set the foundations for where Newcastle could be in the years to come.
For Newcastle fans, they are sure to be hoping for one last parting gift from Eales before the successor comes in, get the PIF to confirm stadium plans.
It has been a saga that has gone on for years, but one that looks to be almost finished. Newcastle face stadium permission roadblocks along the way, but Eales can be the person who finally persuades chairman Al-Rumayyan to decide to move the club out of St James’ Park.
It may not be a decision that the whole fanbase will be pleased about, but Newcastle fans know a new stadium is for the greater good.