Paul Mitchell's replacement - New 'front-runner' emerges and Eddie Howe's a big fan

Although all eyes are on who Newcastle might sign over the coming weeks and months, the club have two other very important positions to fill.

A new CEO - potentially David Hopkinson - is needed to replace Darren Eales as he prepares to depart, but there is also the small matter of finding a sporting director to replace Paul Mitchell.

The Athletic has issued an update on our search, naming who some sources claim to be the current favourite to land the job.

They report that Nottingham Forest's Ross Wilson is the 'early front-runner', with the 41-year-old the current chief football officer at the City Ground.

Wilson, who has previously worked at Southampton, Huddersfield, Watford, Falkirk and Rangers, is also thought to enjoy a 'positive relationship' with Eddie Howe, suggesting the two have crossed paths before and would have no issues working together.

The club are thought to be keen on a candidate able to support with major infrastructural projects, rather than a sporting director who would specialist in recruitment, as Mitchell previously hoped to.

Others in the picture who were named in The Athletic's piece include Liverpool's technical director, Julian Ward, who is admired by several internally based on his experience at the highest level on Merseyside.

Jason Ayto, the former assistant sporting director at Arsenal has also been discussed, along with  Gavin Fleig; the Director of Talent Management at the City Group. 

Interestingly, the same piece states that there has been a 'strong suggestion' that there will NOT be an internal promotion for the likes of Steve Nickson or Andy Howe, with multiple sources claiming it is “too big a job” for that.

Ross Wilson