Despite the recent departure of sporting director Paul Mitchell, Newcastle United is actively preparing for the summer transfer window. The club has gained the opportunity to sign one of its priority targets – a Premier League star – for around £65 million, as rivals are reportedly open to considering a sale.
Paul Mitchell Departs Newcastle
After just one season at St James` Park, Paul Mitchell decided to leave the club, tasking Newcastle with finding a new sporting director this summer. Frankly, Mitchell didn`t quite make his mark in Tyneside. He took on a challenging role after Dan Ashworth`s exit, especially with the club under pressure to comply with Financial Fair Play (PSR) rules.
In his departure statement, the sporting director expressed gratitude to everyone at Newcastle – from coaches and players to owners and fans – for their support over the past year. He noted it was an honor to work with such wonderful people. Mitchell emphasized that his departure is well-timed for both himself and the club, particularly given the upcoming departure of Darren Eales. He expressed confidence that the club is in good hands and well-positioned for future progress, wishing everyone associated with Newcastle United success.
This summer, the club will be under close scrutiny not only because of potential new signings for Eddie Howe`s squad but also due to the search for a new key figure in a leadership role.
Qualifying for the Champions League significantly boosted the club`s financial capacity in the transfer market. The new sporting director will face a challenging task. Perhaps one of the first major moves will be a significant deal to acquire a player from a Premier League rival.
Newcastle Could Sign Kudus for £65m
According to insiders, Newcastle could acquire Mohammed Kudus from West Ham for £65 million this summer. It`s reported that the London club is willing to part with one of the Magpies` main transfer targets for a substantial fee. This price is £20 million below the player`s release clause, which is positive news for the club`s owners (PIF).
Newcastle`s owners (PIF) have already explored this option. The deal looks quite realistic, especially considering West Ham`s disappointing season. Given Kudus`s desire to move to a more ambitious club, Newcastle might be willing to spend significantly to secure this transfer.
Despite facing difficulties within a struggling West Ham side, Kudus`s performance received high praise from coach Graham Potter. In late March, Potter remarked that while the season might have been somewhat disappointing from the player`s perspective, it wasn`t due to a lack of effort. The coach highly valued Kudus`s daily work and his progress in building physical fitness and endurance.
Given Newcastle`s reported interest in the winger, the key question when the transfer window opens will be whether they are prepared to pay the requested £65 million for Mohammed Kudus.
