Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell to leave club in shock exit

• Move may offer Howe more power in player recruitment

• Club likely to spend heavily in summer transfer window

In a surprise move that seems set to offer Eddie Howe an increased say in player recruitment, Paul Mitchell will leave his role as Newcastle’s sporting director at the end of June.

Mitchell, who joined the club last July, is departing by mutual consent without presiding over the acquisition of a major first‑team ­signing. To say the 43-year-old and Howe initially failed to hit it off would be an understatement but, after the manager threatened to leave Tyneside last July if the ­newcomer challenged his autonomy too dramatically, the relationship gradually improved.