ยท 10 June 2025, 17:00
**Paul Mitchell is set to leave his role as Newcastle United's sporting director at the end of this month, less than a year since he took over the role following Dan Ashworth's switch to Manchester United.**
To give credit where it's due, Mitchell at least lasted longer at Newcastle than Ashworth did at Man United, but that and brokering a deal to get summer signing Lloyd Kelly off the books look set to be the extent of his legacy.
It does seem, however, that Newcastle are determined to press on with the sporting director model despite it being a disaster so far.
A report in today's [Mail Online](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14797357/Newcastle-target-rival-Premier-League-chief-sporting-director-Paul-Mitchell.html) has suggested that Newcastle have identified a couple of potential candidates already, with one standing out as a favourite so far.
Ross Wilson is an early frontrunner to succeed Paul Mitchell
Newcastle are eyeing Nottingham Forest sporting director to replace Paul Mitchell
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Former Arsenal assistant sporting director Jason Ayto has thrown his hat into the ring, but the frontrunner at this early stage is Ross Wilson, who is a sporting director at Nottingham Forest.
Wilson has held the same role at Rangers and Southampton, and the 41-year-old is said to have backing within the Newcastle boardroom.
Given how wildly Nottingham Forest have spent money in the last couple of years, Wilson at least looks like a man who will get things done - but so did Ashworth and Mitchell, in fairness.
Newcastle aren't set up for expediency
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Perhaps the sporting director isn't the issue at Newcastle, it's the chain of command when it comes to spending money. PIF have to sign off on every move, and that could be what is really holding Newcastle back.
That, and the fact that it really doesn't feel like Eddie Howe wants to have to work with a sporting director.
We don't expect that this is a decision they will rush into, having been embarrassed twice already by picking the wrong man for the job, but it does look like we're going to give it one more shot.