Newcastle United sporting director Paul Mitchell has announced he will leave the club at the end of June.
The 43-year-old has only been in the role on Tyneside for 12 months, but has decided now is the right time to move on.
Newcastle United will be without their top negotiator for the upcoming transfer window, which is expected to be a busy one for the Magpies. Several big names have been linked with a move to Newcastle this summer, and current players could be moved on to make room for them.
Mitchell cited Darren Eales’ impending Newcastle exit in his statement, saying he believes it is right for him to leave the club at the same time he does. Eales, who was diagnosed with blood cancer last year, is stepping down from his role due to his health.
Eales has still been working hard behind the scenes, despite his diagnosis, to help the club grow and become one of the biggest moneymakers in Europe.
The search for a new CEO to replace Eales is well underway, and a new report has shared a big update on how that search is going.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Newcastle United close to appointing Darren Eales’ replacement
Work has been going on to find a successor for Eales for months, but there has yet to be an official announcement on who will take over the role.
Reports earlier in 2025 claimed that Vinai Venkatesham was linked with the Newcastle CEO role, but he has since been appointed to the same role at Tottenham.
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With the search still underway, Craig Hope of the Daily Mail has reported that Newcastle are now ‘close’ to appointing a new chief executive to replace Eales. The report adds that Newcastle have hired a recruitment arm of sports agency CAA to lead the search.
#NUFC CEO Darren Eales is to step down from his position after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.
He will continue to lead the club's executive team until a successor is appointed.
Our thoughts are with you, @DEalesNUFC. 🖤🤍
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) September 27, 2024
View Tweet
Additionally, Newcastle have explored some American names. Eales was appointed Newcastle CEO following a successful spell at MLS side Atlanta United.
Manchester United chief linked with Newcastle United CEO role
There is a big period of change at Newcastle, with Mitchell and Eales leaving their prominent roles at the club. It is now of the utmost importance that PIF get things spot on when recruiting their successors.
Newcastle fans wanted Steve Nickson to take over from Mitchell, but it looks like Howe will be given a lot of responsibility in the transfer market this summer.
From Eales’ perspective, Manchester United chief Collette Roche applied for the Newcastle CEO role. The 50-year-old is believed to be very highly rated at Old Trafford, having survived Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal job cuts.
While Eales’ departure now looks imminent, he could still leave the club with a big parting gift.
Newcastle are set to build a new 65,000-seater stadium in Leazes Park, just a stone’s throw away from the existing St James’ Park site. Eales may be waiting to finalise plans for the new ground before finally stepping down from his role.