Dan Ashworth ‘fuming’ with Newcastle United as transfer chief goes rogue in scathing attack
Newcastle United sporting director Paul Mitchell spoke to local media last week following a poor transfer window
Former Newcastle United powerbrokers Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Dan Ashworth are fuming with current sporting director Paul Mitchell, according to reports.
Mitchell was grilled by the media last week following an underwhelming transfer where that saw the Magpies fail to make a major signing. This was the 43-year-old’s second interview since succeeding Ashworth in July, with former co-owners Staveley and Ghodoussi also leaving as part of a major boardroom reshuffle.
The Telegraph claim comments criticising the scouting network have not gone down well with the trio. All three were major players during Newcastle’s immediate post-takeover era, with stars like Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes joining the club.
Steve Nickson, the head of recruitment, was also a key cog in the previous transfer wheel. Mitchell said last week: “There are things we got wrong in our strategy for sure. Should our scouting and recruitment be driven more extensively with a wider-reaching net?
“It definitely should be because this is becoming a really nuanced space now. You can’t just capital fund everything every year and buy loads of players at peak age and peak price. Was, let’s say, the scouting network, the lengths and breadths of our process and our strategies, including the influence of Eddie Howe, bigger and broader enough?
“Probably not. And that’s the bit we analyse to be better. That’s the bit we have to adjust and modernise.”
The report claims Mitchell’s swipe at focusing on established Premier League stars did not go down well. While that was the case with Marc Guehi, the No.1 transfer target throughout the summer, the Magpies have signed Guimaraes, Isak, Sven Botman and Sandro Tonali from outside England.
Mitchell had downplayed suggestions of tension with Howe, insisting the two have a good relationship. Ironically, Howe’s nephew, Andy, is also part of Newcastle’s recruitment setup.