It’s all coming out now as Dan Ashworth adds to the controversy at Newcastle United

Add as preferred source on Google

Sporting director Paul Mitchell will leave Newcastle United in June.

After less than a year in the role, the 43-year-old has confirmed he will leave the club having failed to make a single signing to improve Eddie Howe’s starting XI.

Newcastle United will go through most of the transfer window without Paul Mitchell, with Howe taking back control of recruitment, which he lost upon Mitchell’s arrival.

As well as Howe regaining control of recruitment, Newcastle fans want Steve Nickson to replace Mitchell as sporting director. The current head of recruitment has spent almost 15 years on Tyneside and has helped bring big names like Bruno Guimaraes to the club.

Mitchell becomes the second sporting director to leave the club since the takeover in 2021, with Dan Ashworth departing the club in 2024 to join Manchester United.

However, Ashworth was sacked by Man United after just five months due to poor performances on the pitch and a slew of backroom decisions.

Ashworth’s time at Newcastle came to a rather bitter end, and new details of how he really felt in his role have emerged.

• READ MORE – What Paul Mitchell’s exit means for Alexander Isak’s contract talks at Newcastle in ‘major twist’

Dan Ashworth’s working relationship with Eddie Howe

Ashworth is now back at the FA following his spells at Newcastle and Man United. It was a role he held prior to joining Brighton as their sporting director.

There was concern when he was given the role as some believed Ashworth would approach Howe for the England job in the future if Thomas Tuchel’s time as head coach came to a sudden end.

However, according to Forbes, Ashworth’s working relationship seemed to be very frail under Howe.

A recent report covering Mitchell’s departure states that Ashworth found Howe’s manner of working “frustrating”, preferring to work with his “inner circle” of coaches rather than him at Newcastle.

Ashworth left Newcastle in a very controversial manner, which is sure to have soured the relationship between him and the club. He was found to be in secret negotiations with Man United before being placed on gardening leave.

• READ MORE – Eddie Howe’s actual reaction to Paul Mitchell leaving Newcastle United speaks volumes

Eddie Howe’s view of Dan Ashworth after Newcastle United exit

While there seems to be frustration from Ashworth’s side over the way Howe worked, the latter has only had good things to say about his former colleague.

Howe was not concerned about Ashworth leaving Newcastle, as he knew it gave him back control of transfers which he so desperately wanted.

In an interview in 2024, Howe was full of praise for Ashworth and even admitted that he was sad to see him leave Newcastle, but understood his reasoning.

With the saga between Howe and Mitchell continuing at Newcastle, fans will have to wait and see if the pair can work in harmony for the next month before the latter’s exit.