Keith Wyness: PIF to appoint 'high-profile' Newcastle chief 'ASAP'

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted Newcastle United and the Saudi ownership will move “quickly” to appoint a successor to Darren Eales.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the new chief will be “high-profile” and “may not come from football”.

Newcastle announced last week (27 September) that CEO Eales is stepping down from his role after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.

He said: “It will be business as usual in terms of running the club’s day-to-day operations, and I will give my full support to a transitionary period that will enable the board to carefully assess and appoint my successor.

Eales was appointed in 2022 following the Saudi-backed takeover at St James’ Park and took a more central role after the departure of former co-owner Amanda Staveley in the summer.

Newcastle will ‘move quickly’ to appoint Eales successor, says Wyness

Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I was very sorry to hear about Darren.

“I’ve met and spoken to him about different issues numerous times, he’s a good guy and I wish him well.

“Darren was becoming more central after Staveley left during the summer, so it will be destabilising not to have that figure on a day-to-day basis.

“I think PIF will want a new CEO in place as soon as possible.

“The board can’t handle things day-to-day like Amanda and her husband did.

“I think PIF will have their appointee in place pretty quickly. I’ve got no inside knowledge of who, but I’ve got my sources looking for a name.

“I do expect it to be a high-profile CEO, and they may not come from football.”

In other news, Newcastle line up free agent swoop for red-hot striker.

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