Pressure ramped up on Newcastle United chief ahead of make-or-break fortnight amid £65m transfer backdrop

From mingling with supporters at the Greenman pub near Wembley to greeting the hundreds of Adidas-keen consumers before June’s kit launch, Darren Eales comes across as a good egg.

A personable character, his interviews are honest and concise, keeping fans in the loop after 14 years of Mike Ashley detachment. While lacking gravitas or suave, he also does not come across as the cutthroat, distant killer often associated with those running Premier League clubs.

But that is exactly what he must morph into over the next fortnight as the pressure cranks up on Newcastle United’s transfer window. As the club’s Chief Executive Officer, Eales is the head of the Saudi-backed shark that, so far, has fallen short in the market.

Comparable clubs like Aston Villa and West Ham United have bolstered their ranks while the Magpies remain desperate for a major breakthrough. William Osula, Lloyd Kelly and Odysseas Vlachodimos have arrived, but can anyone - without donning rose-tinted glasses - assert they improve the starting line-up?

Eddie Howe is yet to be backed - and time is running out. Just 19 days are left of the window for Toon chiefs - headed by Eales - to give Howe the best chance of launching a top-four charge.

FFP/PSR pressures will be the cry if Newcastle fail to tick off their summer shopping list. But they have had ample time to prepare and several ageing stars on big-money contracts could have been given a bigger push towards the St James’ Park exit.

Forget the childish vitriol that, at times, appears as the majority on social media. Most Toon fans acknowledge the strides taken since Ashley’s exit - but this summer has underwhelmed so far.

Eales is paid the big bucks to make seismic decisions and he has been front and centre during mini restructure in recent months. Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, much-loved and respected figures on Tyneside, sold their remaining shares and, with that, a safety blanket for Howe was lost.

The Dan Ashworth saga finally drew to a close and Newcastle needed a new sporting director. Eales appointed Paul Mitchell, who brought performance boffin James Bunce with him.

Howe aired concern over the fresh dynamic three weeks ago and Eales must make it work. That is not to say it won’t, but the Toon boss speaking about “boundaries” triggered a seed of doubt during the teething-stage process.

Newcastle now enter a make-or-break fortnight that they must tackle head-on. A deal for Marc Guehi remains on the table but the Magpies are short of Crystal Palace’s £65million asking price.

Come September 1, all could be well, with Newcastle given the tools needed - namely a centre-back and right-winger - to make a fist of 2024-25. But for the first time since joining from Atlanta United, Eales is feeling the heat. The spotlight is on him - and those he appointed - to deliver.