Newcastle Hold conversations with former Real Madrid chef in their hunt for a new CEO – after Darren Eales was forced to resign on health reasons

Newcastle spoke with former Real Madrid Executive David Hopkinson while they close to the appointment of a new CEO.

Mail Sport can reveal that the 54-year-old Canadian is in the context to replace the outgoing Darren Eales, which deducts on health reasons.

Pif-Gouverneur and Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rahalyyan will make the final decision, whereby sources recognize the need for an imminent announcement.

The club is currently active with both an outgoing chief executive and sports director, after news last week of the approaching exit of Paul Mitchell after less than a year in St James’ Park. This uncertainty at senior level is seen by some as far from ideal in a crucial summer.

Eddie Howe And his players have secured themselves Champions League Football before the following season and the head coach has repeated the need for speed internally when it comes to transfers. It now seems likely that Howe and the head of the recruitment Steve Nickson will supervise most of the transactions.

But we understand that Hopkinson, who was recently the president and chief operating officer of Madison Square Garden Sports Corporation, is the leading candidate for the role that will soon be abandoned by Eales, who announced in September that he would leave after the diagnosis of a chronic form of blood cancer.

Newcastle has had conversations with former REEELE MADRID director David Hopkinson in their search for a new CEO

Darren Eales will resign from the role after he announced that he was suffering from cancer

Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rahalyyan will make the decision about the appointment, with Hopkinson under the leading contenders for the role

He was interviewed by PIF and is considered the preferred choice if he agreed the conditions.

Hopkinson has previously worked as the worldwide main partnership of Real Madrid and was Chief Commercial Officer for the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Partnership for 23 years, including MLS -Franchise Toronto FC. He currently serves as a board member for Canada Basketball.

Interestingly, he has an enormous experience in location management, in which Newcastle informs fans about their plans for the future home stadium of the club. Mail Sport revealed in March that the intention is to move to a new house on Leeases Park.

Hopkinson says about his role of Madison Square Garden that he has led “Prime Minister’s strategic vision and activities worldwide sports franchises, including the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.”

The resident of Toronto added: ‘During my 25+ year career, I had the privilege of covering some of the world’s most iconic sports and entertainment brands by periods of considerable growth and evolution. At MSG Sports I directed an extensive business strategy at legendary locations, including Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and the revolutionary atmosphere in Las Vegas.

‘Earlier at Real Madrid I led worldwide partnerships for the world’s most valuable football club, with a 1B+ Global Fanbase. At MLSE I led about transformative initiatives, including the Landmark Scotiabank Arena Naming Rights Agreement ($ 800m+ CDN), while supervising several professional sports franchises. ‘

In the meantime, Newcastle recruiting office uses Nolan Partners to look for a new sports director. They were previously hired before the appointment of Dan Ashworth in 2022.

Newcastle refused to comment on Hopkinson and the director.