Paul Mitchell, formerly of Wigan Athletic, has been appointed as Newcastle United’s new sporting director.
Dan Ashworth, who was recently the target of Manchester United in a £10 million deal, is replaced by the 44-year-old.
Mitchell came up through the ranks at Wigan in the late 1990s, having begun his youth career with Manchester City. Over the course of five years, he made 81 appearances under coaches such as John Benson, Bruce Rioch, Colin Greenall, Steve Bruce, and Paul Jewell.
In addition, he played for MK Dons, Halifax, Swindon, Wrexham, Barnet, and Wrexham on loan before an injury ended his career at the age of 27.
However, that was just the beginning of Mitchell’s remarkable journey, as he quickly established a global reputation as a technological expert.
After a humble beginning as chief scout at MK Dons, Mitchell relocated to Southampton in 2012. Sadio Mane was one of his most important acquisitions at St Mary’s.
As head of recruitment for Tottenham after manager Mauricio Pochettino left, Mitchell brought Dele Alli, Kieran Tripper, and Son Heung-min to the London team.
After that, he became a member of the Red Bull organisation and worked for Leipzig and New York before being named the sporting director of Monaco in 2020.
Prior to taking up his new role in the northeast, Mitchell was connected to both Manchester United and Liverpool.
“It’s with immense pride that I accept the responsibility of being Newcastle United’s new sporting director,” stated Mitchell.
“I’ve observed the club’s recent expansion and aspirations. The choice to join was made simple by this and the incredible fan base.
“I can’t wait to get started and help continue the organisation’s growth and long-term competitiveness in all areas of elite football performance.”
The CEO of Newcastle United, Darren Eales, stated: “We are thrilled to have Paul join Newcastle United. He offers the club a plethora of knowledge and a proven track record of achievement.
“He is the perfect candidate to head our sporting directorate because of his broad and varied background in recruiting, cultural transformation, and football leadership.
“We look forward to working with Paul and supporting him in our pursuit of long-term, sustainable success.”
