Newcastle’s plans for summer transfer window with Dan Ashworth out

Newcastle United’s summer transfer strategy is currently being managed without a designated sporting director, as Dan Ashworth is on gardening leave and has yet to leave the club on his way to Manchester United.

In the interim, the club has reverted to the recruitment processes NUFC already through the January and summer transfer windows of 2022 when Ashworth wasn’t yet part of the organization, according to Chris Waugh of The Athletic.

Steve Nickson, head of recruitment, and his assistant and Eddie’s brother Andy Howe, are actively involved in scouting and negotiations with player agents already while the manager will retain the power of making any final decision on potential signings.

The club’s ownership group, including all of Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, and Jamie Reuben, alongside CEO Darren Eales, will form an “informal transfer committee” tasked with finalizing deals until the arrival and appointment of a new sporting director.

Touching on that position, it’s believed that the main candidates under consideration include Dougie Freedman of Crystal Palace and Johannes Spors of 777 Partners Football Group. Everything seems to point toward the hiring of the former, but there is still a bit of time for Newcastle to operate before the season ends in a week and much more before the transfer window opens mid-June.

The appointment of a new sporting director is expected to conclude soon, however, mostly to limit any negative impact dealing it might have in the transfer plans the club might want to put together ahead of the summer.

It’s also worth noting the fact that Euro 2024 kicking off in a month makes the need for appointing someone to lead the transfer business even more important as the club might find the next gem emerging from the early-summer tournament, as is often the case when these international competitions take place.