Mitchell arrives after previous roles in scouting and club development at Southampton, Tottenham, RB Leipzig and Monaco.

He takes over from Ashworth, whose departure to Manchester United was finally confirmed earlier this week after months of negotiations.

Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales said: "We are delighted to welcome Paul to Newcastle United. He brings a successful track record and wealth of experience to the club.

"His extensive and diverse experience in football leadership, cultural change and recruitment mean he is the ideal person to lead our sporting directorate.

"We look forward to working with Paul and supporting him in our pursuit of long-term, sustainable success."

Mitchell, 42, played professionally with clubs including Wigan and MK Dons before his career was cut short by injury and he moved into off-field roles.

He became chief scout at MK Dons before moving to Southampton in 2012. He followed manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham in 2014, becoming their head of recruitment. His signings for the London club included Dele Alli and Son Heung-min.

He later joined the Red Bull group, spending time with Leipzig and New York before being appointed as Monaco sporting director in 2020. He has previously been linked with both Liverpool and Manchester United.

Mitchell said: "It's with immense pride that I accept the responsibility of being Newcastle United's new sporting director.

"I've seen the recent growth and ambition of the club. This, plus the amazing fanbase, made the decision to join an easy one.

"I can't wait to get started and help continue the organisation's growth and long-term competitiveness in all areas of elite football performance."

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