Newcastle confirm Eales as GM after reaching deal with Atlanta

Darren Eales has moved from Atlanta United to Newcastle United to join as general manager as the Magpies continue to round up their boardroom staff.

Newcastle successfully convinced Dan Ashworth to leave Brighton and Hove Albion to become their sporting director in May, seven months after their controversial Saudi-backed takeover.

Ashworth will now be joined by Eales, with whom he worked at West Brom between 2006 and 2010, the 49-year-old leaving MLS from Atlanta, where he was chairman and chief executive officer (CEO).

Eales comes to Tyneside with considerable boardroom experience, having been named MLS Executive of the Year twice and World Football Summit Executive of the Year in 2019.

"Newcastle United is both a giant club and the heart of its community," said Eales, who also has administrative experience with Tottenham.

"Each time I have visited St. James's Park, I have been overwhelmed by the passion of the fans.

"This is a club with an incredibly rich heritage, and I am delighted to join them for this new chapter in their long history.

"I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to working with the rest of the team to help this legendary club fulfill its potential."

Eales also has a history with Newcastle, having sold Miguel Almiron to the Premier League side after the striker helped Atlanta to MLS Cup victory in 2018.

"We are delighted to announce that Darren Eales is the club's new CEO," the Newcastle investment group added. "He's an exceptional leader and a perfect fit for Newcastle United.

"We conducted an extensive recruitment process to ensure we identified and retained the right person for the CEO position, and we are confident that we have found that person in Darren.

"He has a deep understanding of the football industry and what it takes to achieve growth and success, and he will be a key member of the club's management team as we seek to achieve the potential of the club on and off the pitch.”