Paul Mitchell is to leave his role as Newcastle United sporting director ‘by mutual consent’ in June #NUFC

Shields Gazette

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00:00Just 48 hours have passed since the end of a historic season for Newcastle United where they ended their long wait for major domestic silverware.

00:08They returned to the Champions League for the second time in Eddie Howe's reign.

00:13But the summer of activity at St James' Park has already started with a somewhat surprised departure.

00:18It's been confirmed that sporting director Paul Mitchell will leave the club by mutual consent next month.

00:24That comes just 12 months after he was appointed into the role.

00:28Interesting to see how this impacts on Newcastle's transfer plans for the summer for their preparation to return to the Champions League.

00:35Eddie Howe spoke in the aftermath of Sunday's home defeat against Everton on the day when Newcastle confirmed a place in the Champions League

00:42that he was going to hold talks and had held talks with the St James' Park hierarchy.

00:47He spoke about the need to move quickly in the transfer market, about the need to act with haste and bring in players as soon as possible.

00:54If it was possible, it's been well versed that Newcastle want a goalkeeper, a centre-back, a right-winger and a striker to enter their squad.

01:03Things could change depending on departures, but it remains to be seen what the departure of Mitchell will mean for those plans.

01:09You get the feeling it'll just be several other players, people within St James' Park, possibly Steve Nixon,

01:14the head of recruitment, playing a more prominent role in what lies ahead.

01:19Nixon has been highly successful in that position, well-trusted by the PIF-led owners at Newcastle,

01:29so they can fall back on his experience and knowledge.

01:32But it is a pivotal summer.

01:35We know Newcastle need to boost their squad in terms of depth and quality.

01:39We know Eddie Howe is going to need more numbers to rely on throughout next season with the added competition,

01:44the added fixtures provided by the Champions League.

01:48He wants more competition for places.

01:49He doesn't want to have easy decisions to make on his start in XI, which maybe has been the case at times this season.

01:55But the departure of Mitchell is something of a surprise, so it may take a couple of weeks to get over what lies ahead,

02:01or to prepare for what lies ahead.

02:04Howe has always been keen to play a prominent role in those transfer plans, and rightly so as head coach.

02:10You get the feeling there may just be a bit of a return to how things were before Mitchell came in,

02:14when Howe was trying to guide things, and as I say, with Steve Nixon playing a more prominent role.

02:20So surprise news.

02:21We'll see what lies ahead, if there is to be a replacement for Mitchell, or a restructure.

02:26But it's certainly an interesting start of the summer for Newcastle.

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