Newcastle land ex-Man Utd man after John Murtough ignored £82m Antony warning

Newcastle want to build the best scouting empire in world football and have tasked Manchester United's former head of global scouting Marcel Bout as the man to execute their ambitious vision.

Bout, 60, has now started his new role as chief global head of scouting but will based in native Amsterdam where he will oversee all scouting operations
The logistics behind the surprise call are that Schiphol - Europe's best-connected airport which lays on flights to over 300 destinations across the globe - will be accessible from his doorstep.

The Dutchman's job is to identify the world's most exciting talents between the ages of 16 and 23 swiftly - ensuring the Magpies beat rivals to the punch - though Eddie Howe insists there will be no drastic changes to first-team recruitment.

"That [Bout's arrival] that I am something not directly involved in. That would be a club appointment made internally," he said on Friday. "I don't think it will necessarily impact first team recruitment, I think it is more on the younger side. It is certainly a welcome addition to the football club."

Manchester United confirmed the resignations of Bout and chief scout Jim Lawlor back in April 2022 as part of an unsuccessful structural overhaul. Bout initially joined the Red Devils as Louis van Gaal's assistant coach in 2014 before later moving upstairs in October 2016 following his compatriot's dismissal.

Despite his best efforts collating data and reports on some of the game's hottest prospects, United's top decision-makers have frequently made a mess of transfer dealings. Erling Haaland and Joao Felix were two notable near misses after Bout spent time tracking both attackers during their respective breakthrough spells at Red Bull Salzburg and Benfica.