A new report has shed light on a major disagreement between Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe and departing sporting director Paul Mitchell regarding the club’s summer transfer plans, which could have fostered the latter’s exit from the club.
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Mitchell pushed to sign French defender Jean-Clair Todibo at the end of last summer transfer window—after failed bids for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi—but Howe and his staff vetoed the move.
“When the Marc Guehi deal fell through, Jean-Clair Todibo was Paul Mitchell’s idea of a Plan B,” Crook told talkSPORT.
Mitchell’s recommendation stemmed from his Ligue 1 connections, as Todibo had been at Nice before securing a £35 million transfer to West Ham last summer.
Newcastle ultimately passed on the defender, citing concerns over his character and fit, supposedly flagged by Howe.
“The coaching staff at Newcastle ruled that out because they had done those background checks, and they looked into his character,” Crook said. “Actually, if you hear some of the stories and how he has conducted himself at West Ham, I would suggest they probably dodged a bullet going against Paul Mitchell.”
The disagreement adds further clarity to Mitchell’s sudden exit, announced just one month before the summer window opens, although he’s still expected to lead Newcastle’s business through June.
This report also reinforces the growing influence of Howe and his staff in player recruitment, especially after previous internal friction over the signings of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.
With Mitchell set to leave at the end of June, Newcastle’s upcoming transfer window will be shaped largely by Howe’s priorities, as the club looks to strengthen for both domestic and European competition.