- Newcastle United set to snap up Oxford United staff member
- Who is Scott Mitchell?
- Magpies focus on young talent
It’s not just change on the pitch that is coming the way of Newcastle United, as the club appear eager to make a shift behind the scenes to put the Magpies back on track to achieve their 2030 target.
At this stage, Eddie Howe’s side find themselves outside the top 10 and behind their bitter rivals, Sunderland. However, a win against Brighton & Hove Albion would provide them with a small opportunity to push for European football.
This is far from the scenario the club would have envisioned last August following their Carabao Cup victory and qualification for the UEFA Champions League for the second time in three years.
The i Paper reports that the Black and Whites are keen on a move for Scott Mitchell, Oxford United’s head of recruitment, to oversee the monitoring of players under the age of 21 who could be on the brink of first-team football.
Who is Newcastle United target Scott Mitchell?
Mitchell began his football career with non-league side Lowestoft Town while also working as an academy coach at Ipswich Town. After hanging up his boots, he continued his work with the Tractor Boys.
His role at the club evolved over time, initially becoming Head of Academy Performance Analysis before later moving into the position of Head of Academy Recruitment, a role he held for more than five years.
The Magpies have placed a strong emphasis on academy recruitment since the Public Investment Fund took ownership of the club, with signings such as Yankuba Minteh — now a Premier League player for last weekend’s opponents — and Park Seung-soo, who is regarded as one of the academy’s brightest talents.
Mitchell left East Anglia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign to join Wycombe Wanderers as Head of Player Recruitment before moving to his current role at Oxford United midway through the 2024/25 season.
Football League World has reported that the Magpies have already agreed a deal with their board member ahead of “internal restructuring at St James’ Park”.
Impact at St James’ Park
The work Mitchell would undertake for the Black and Whites is not something that can be completed overnight and will likely take years before significant progress is fully realised.
Over the past few seasons, the Magpies have continued to recruit young talent from clubs across England and around the world in an effort to strengthen their academy pathway. At this stage, they are still waiting to see consistent first-team success from those investments beyond Minteh’s emergence.
It is encouraging to see the club focusing on a long-term project rather than chasing short-term gains, as that is what will ultimately be required for the Tyneside outfit to compete consistently with the very best. Mitchell’s appointment would represent another important cog in Newcastle’s evolving machine.
In other news, Newcastle United ‘insider’ provides update on Eddie Howe ‘crisis talks’.
