Newcastle United are in the process of transforming their playing squad, as well as their backroom staff force.
The Magpies, now owned by a cash-rich Saudi-backed consortium, have made several key changes in recent months, including appointing Dan Ashworth as their new sporting director.
The 51-year-old was Brighton and Hove Albion’s technical director before being poached by the Toon.
An official statement posted on the club’s website earlier this week read: “Newcastle United are delighted to announce that Dan Ashworth will become the club’s sporting director after an agreement was reached with Brighton & Hove Albion to release him from his current contractual obligations with immediate effect.”
However, despite the credentials of Ashworth, one person who has questioned the appointment has been former Crystal Palace owner and TalkSPORT pundit, Simon Jordan.
“It’s probably a bit of both (an easy and hard job at Newcastle) because he’s not turning water into wine,” said Jordan, as quoted by HITC.
“He will have the financial support to develop the opportunities to meet the exceptions, which we are yet to determine of these owners.
“Ashworth comes with a reputation. Some of it is well-earned. And some of it is overblown.
“If you look at his involvement in the evolution at St Goerge’s and the next generation of English footballers that have been very successful. You look at the involvement at West Brom and Brighton. You can’t look at the Brighton recruitment policy and say ‘they aren’t very good’ because they are very good.
“If we are to believe that Newcastle are going to ‘rip it up’, then he has the most ideal and challenging of jobs.
“Ashworth would have been a get. None of the other big clubs wanted him. Man United didn’t want him. Liverpool didn’t want him. They have other people, like Michael Edwards and so forth.”
What business will Newcastle United look to do this summer?
Following a hugely successful January transfer window that saw the Magpies sign the likes of Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid, Dan Burn from Brighton and Hove Albion and Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon, Eddie Howe will certainly be hoping to replicate the club’s smart business again this summer.
Although a striker is likely to be on Howe’s agenda, one player who the club are reportedly already in talks to sign is Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence.
That’s according to a recent report from Football London, who claim the Magpies have joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign the highly-rated Championship wonderkid.
Although it remains unknown which side will end up winning the race for 21-year-old Spence, given the upward trajectory they’re on, as well as their financial power, fans will definitely not want to rule the Magpies out of the hunt for one of the country’s most impressive breakthrough talents.