Newcastle United CEO reveals PIF's plan for 2025 with new face expected

Newcastle United chief executive Darren Eales has indicated that the club's search for a new CEO will not affect the Magpies' performance in the January transfer window.

Eales announced he was stepping down from C-Suite role last September after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer. The Newcastle chief was afforded a standing ovation as he left the stage at the STACK last week for a supporter event.

Former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham has been linked with Newcastle since news of Eales' departure. Venkatesham is an associate of commercial chief Peter Silverstone.

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Eales, speaking at the We Are United event last week, said: "I mentioned at the time I had a notice period so the intention is it is business as usual. And the idea was to serve that notice so we can do a search that will be led by ownership to find that right candidate.

"Then give them that runway so that they can hit the ground running. It's business as usual but will use that transition to get the best person possible."

In Eales' three seasons as CEO the club have gone from relegation battlers to European candidates as well as some inspirational Carabao Cup runs. This season also sees United in with a genuine shout of another two-legged semi-final and a crack at Wembley again with a home tie against Brentford coming up soon.

Former Atlanta CEO Eales said: "It is nothing to do with me it is just an amazing football club. If you look at the last three years we had the first final for 24 years, we've had the Champions League for 20 years and that game against Paris St-Germain was incredible.

"It is a real shame to see the format as it is this year because we got that group of death and we were really unfortunate in that respect. This season it is exciting to see we are in a quarter-final against Brentford and the Premier League table is crazy with that cluster of clubs so really good on the pitch."