Dan Ashworth, who is now with Manchester United, is reportedly ‘baffled’ by Paul Mitchell’s recent criticism of Newcastle United’s recruitment approach. Mitchell, who assumed the role of sporting director at Newcastle this summer, spoke publicly for the first time last week following the club’s failure to make a major signing during the transfer window. The former Tottenham recruitment chief questioned whether Newcastle’s transfer strategy is still ‘fit for purpose,’ noting that his role was limited during the window as a pre-established plan was already in place.
Newcastle, under Mitchell’s guidance, missed out on their main target, Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, due to the club deciding the £70 million-plus price tag was too high. Mitchell suggested that Newcastle must expand their recruitment efforts and explore a broader pool of international talent.
This view comes despite Newcastle having signed prominent foreign players like Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, and Sandro Tonali in recent years. With the exception of Tonali, the value of these signings has risen significantly since joining the club.
During Ashworth’s time as sporting director, Newcastle invested heavily, and the majority of signings were considered successful.
Speaking last week, Mitchell said: “Should we cast a wider net in our scouting and recruitment? Absolutely, because this is becoming a more complex area where we can’t simply keep buying players at peak value year after year.
“It’s the responsibility of myself, the scouting team, the recruitment team, and Eddie to review this and assess if our strategy is still fit for purpose.
“This marks the next phase of growth for the club. We need to improve our expertise in this area, as it is a crucial skill set.
“Was our scouting network, including Eddie Howe’s input, extensive enough? Probably not. That’s an area we need to assess and enhance.
“We need to modernize and adapt.”
According to The Telegraph, Ashworth and others involved in Newcastle’s previous recruitment drives were left feeling ‘hurt and confused’ by Mitchell’s remarks.
Steve Nickson, Newcastle’s head of recruitment, is also reportedly frustrated by his reduced role since Mitchell’s arrival in July.
Despite taking a secondary role during the summer, Mitchell will now lead Newcastle’s future recruitment efforts, aiming to broaden and improve the club’s scouting network.
Though his comments have stirred some discontent, Mitchell will ultimately be judged by the effectiveness of his future actions. After a frustrating summer transfer window, there is a clear need for decisive action in the upcoming windows.
