From Fabrizio Romano: Newcastle United to poach Manchester City scout for senior role

Newcastle United look set to recruit a new Head of Scouting, securing a figure from Manchester City, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The north-east club are currently in the process of a significant development of their football processes, both on the field and off it following the takeover by Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media in October 2021.

As such, a number of senior staff have seen a transition phase in recent months, and those changes have now taken them to Manchester City – whom many clubs in the Premier League deem as the example for organisational success.

A recent report from the Telegraph stated that City ‘provide the benchmark’ for Chelsea at the moment, with the London club having ‘studied’ how Txiki Begiristain worked closely with Pep Guardiola to recruit the right types of players and then gave him time to integrate them.

Now, the latest report has revealed that Newcastle United have turned to Manchester City and the City Football Academy for their recruitment of a new senior role within the football club.

That is according to the information of football insider Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United are set to appoint Paul Mclaren as their new Head of Scouting from Manchester City – where he held the role of a youth scout.

Romano reveals that Mclaren is likely to start his new job at Newcastle in July – following the conclusion of the ongoing football calendar.

Elsewhere in the set-up at Manchester City, it was confirmed in late January that their Academy Director Jason Wilcox would be leaving the club at the end of the 2022/23 season to take up a new role at Southampton.

There had been previous interest from Newcastle United in Wilcox, with a report back in 2021 stating that the Magpies were to hold further talks at the time for a figure deemed as the frontrunner for a Director of Football position at St James’ Park.

Manchester City’s academy has seen huge success over the past few seasons, with Rico Lewis being a primary example of a clear route from the youth set-up to the first-team, as the 18 year-old has been a mainstay in Pep Guardiola’s squad.