Newcastle’s scouting network will descend on Tyneside this weekend for a key summit in which Paul Mitchell will give a presentation, Confidential can reveal.
The sporting director is set to meet with his talent-spotters at a Quayside hotel on Friday night before they all attend Saturday’s home match versus Bournemouth. In the past, scouts have been given a task to perform during the game, such as providing a report on an opposition player.
Mitchell is set to outline the club’s current position with regards recruitment and discuss the profile of players they want to bring in, from Under 14 to the senior team. He will be joined by senior recruitment staff Andy Howe and Steve Nickson.
The scouting contingent – strengthened since Mitchell’s summer arrival – will then enjoy dinner at a Quayside restaurant before another meeting on Sunday morning. The get-together is of huge strategic importance in terms of Mitchell getting across his ideas as the new club chief.
However, there is a slight irony in this gathering of recruitment minds during a month in which sources continue to insist the club are very unlikely to buy any players.
Mitchell did show Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia around the training ground this month. He will join from Dinamo Tbilisi on his 18th birthday in August and was a player identified by Mitchell and recruitment staff. The expectation is that a European partner club will have been identified for Salia to join immediately on loan ahead of next season.
Players of similar profile are likely to be discussed this weekend, given the club’s need to identify talent early in a bid to beat PSR.
Newcastle’s sporting director Paul Mitchell (centre) is set to give a presentation this weekend laying out the club’s transfer plans
Eddie Howe’s side had a quiet summer window and are yet to sign anyone in January
CAL CUP TARGET
Callum Wilson is targeting a return to action for the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at home to Arsenal.
The striker is said to have made good progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury and being back for the visit of the Gunners on February 5 is a motivation.
Wilson suffered the injury during the 4-2 defeat at Brentford in December and was ruled out for two months.
He spent a short period away from the club given the mental impact of the setback, but sources say the 32-year-old has returned with a drive to make a difference in the second half of the season. It is hoped that lessons have been learnt from his last comeback when he made three substitute appearances in a week.
Wilson staying fit can be of huge benefit to the team and Alexander Isak, who has carried the load superbly in his team-mate’s absence. But were Eddie Howe to have scope to rotate, it would help protect the Swede against injury and fatigue.
Don’t bet against Wilson scoring some important goals in the next few months.
Callum Wilson is hoping to return at the start of next month after injuring his hamstring in December
PIF PAY THEIR WAY!
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund WILL pay for new advertising around St James’ Park, unlike former owner Mike Ashley and his retail branding.
This week saw the first LED boards carrying PIF’s name flash up during a game – ‘PIF, Invested in Better’.
And Confidential can confirm that the club’s majority owners will pay for that privilege, contributing to revenue streams and PSR calculations.
The sum is sure to be looked at by the Premier League given their rules on ‘Related Party Transactions’, but Newcastle’s valuation of Saudi-related sponsors has, so far, always fallen well within fair market value.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is set to pay for advertising around St James’ Park
KUB-NO!
Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Japan winger Takefusa Kubo – but will not be pursuing a move.
The Magpies were approached and made aware of Kubo’s £50million release clause in his Real Sociedad contract. While there is respect for a player who was briefly a team-mate of Alexander Isak and has scored six times this season, the finances of the deal make it a non-starter.
The 23-year-old would appear keen on a move to the Premier League and the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal have both been credited with an interest in recent months.
A right winger remains one of Newcastle’s primary targets heading into the summer. Miguel Almiron is set to join Atlanta United in a £10m deal, but it’s unlikely a replacement will arrive this month.
Newcastle have decided not to pursue a move for Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo
Kubo will not replace Miguel Almiron, who is expected to rejoin his former club Atlanta United
WHEN WILL THE KING RETURN?
Newcastle’s hopes of bringing Kevin Keegan back to St James’ Park in some capacity appeared to move a step closer this week.
Confidential understands that senior commercial staff were due to spend some time with the club legend.
Keegan has not been to a home game since leaving as manager under Mike Ashley’s ownership in 2008.
Privately, he says he will only return when the club have won a trophy – and with Newcastle still in the mix on all three domestic fronts, that could be sooner than we think.
Wor Flags wanted to bring Keegan back for the home game versus Liverpool last month, when they had planned a special display. That did not happen for various reasons and it would appear the club are making their own moves to charm the former player and manager, who retains huge affection among the fanbase.
Kevin Keegan is edging nearer to returning to St James’ Park, having not been to a home game since leaving his role as manager in 2008
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WHODUNNIT?
Mystery surrounds the identity of the Newcastle player who sent a ball flying into the press box before Wednesday’s home win over Wolves.
It missed its target – assuming one of us journalists was the intended recipient – and instead crashed into an unsuspecting club employee from the IT department. It nearly logged the poor soul out for the entire night!
Would it be a Jacob Murphy-type prank, we wondered? Or could it be a disgruntled fringe player, upset at some element of coverage? Or given it went wide of the reporters, maybe it was… (INSERT YOUR OWN JOKE HERE!).
WINTER BREAK BUT NO BREAK IN FORM
Newcastle’s first-team players were given three days off last week after the Carabao Cup win at Arsenal, and that meant a trip to Paris for some.
Sandro Tonali and Joelinton enjoyed some time in the French capital and others took the chance to spend time with family around the UK.
It proved a wise ploy by Eddie Howe, with the team returning from their mini winter break to beat Bromley on Sunday and Wolves on Wednesday.
Now for 10 out of 10 versus Bournemouth at St James’ Park on Saturday lunchtime.
Howe has kept his players fit and firing by giving them a break after last week’s win at Arsenal
TOON TEASER!
It’s Toon Teaser time. Last week’s puzzler was… can you name the NINE players to have played for Newcastle and Hull since 1992? The answers were; Hatem Ben Arfa, Michael Bridges, Karl Darlow, Mo Diame, Abdoulaye Faye, Steve Harper, Isaac Hayden, Nobby Solano and Ryan Taylor.
This week’s question is – can you name the THIRTEEN players to have played for Newcastle and Sheffield Wednesday since 1992? This is very hard! Elite-level teasing, if you like.
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