“Paul Mitchell Joins Newcastle as Sporting Director, Replacing Dan Ashworth After His Move to Manchester United”
Newcastle, England (AP) — On Thursday, Newcastle announced that Paul Mitchell would take over as sporting director, succeeding Dan Ashworth, who has moved to Manchester United.
Mitchell has previously worked in scouting and club development roles at Southampton, Tottenham, Leipzig, and Monaco.
Ashworth’s move to Manchester United was confirmed on Monday after lengthy negotiations.
“I’ve observed the recent growth and ambition of the club,” Mitchell said about Saudi-owned Newcastle. “This, along with the incredible fanbase, made the decision to join an easy one.”
The 42-year-old Mitchell previously played for lower-league English clubs, including Wigan and MK Dons, before an injury ended his playing career, leading him to off-field roles.
He began as chief scout at MK Dons, then moved to Southampton in 2012. He followed Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham in 2014, becoming the head of recruitment and signing players such as Dele Alli and Son Heung-min.
Mitchell later joined the Red Bull group, working with Leipzig and New York before being appointed Monaco’s sporting director in 2020.
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