Newcastle set to capitalise on Man Utd decision as they close in on new director

Newcastle are in the process of laying down the foundations for the future after recently becoming the richest club in the world thanks to the Saudi takeover led by Amanda Staveley.

Mike Ashley finally got his big pay day as the £305million takeover was completed last Thursday, and rumours have been flooding the footballing world about what Newcastle's next moves may be.

It's likely that current manager Steve Bruce will be relieved of his duties in the near future as the owners look for a new boss to lead the rebuild, with his successor expected to be handed a war chest to sign new and improved stars.

However, with so much pressure on who to buy, a sporting director may be wise, and the ideal candidate has presented itself.

Newcastle directors Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi are looking for a sporting director ( Image:

Getty Images)

Luis Campos was the man responsible for supplying the stars that turned Monaco and Lille into French champions, and the sporting director is one of the names being considered to take on the role at Newcastle, according to Sky Sports.

Campos had been linked with joining Manchester United, but with the Glazer family have seemingly opted to appoint John Murtough instead, meaning that Newcastle could take full advantage of the Red Devils' missed opportunity.

The former Lille sporting director is currently a free agent after leaving the French champions last year, and they have plummeted since his departure as they currently sit in eighth place in Ligue 1.

Campos previously held the directors role at Monaco before joining Lille, and during his time in the Principality he discovered Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho, Thomas Lemar, Bernardo Silva and Anthony Martial for little to nothing, before being sold for big money as £500m was raised in only four years.

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Luis Campos could join Newcastle United

Campos has been labelled 'The Wizard of Capital Gains' for his unbelievable success with clubs that previously sat in the shadows of the usual dominant sides within the league, making Newcastle an exciting proposition based on his track record and the funds they have available.

The 57-year-old became Monaco's sporting director in 2013, and developed a world-class side over four years that inevitably brought them their first league in 17 years, before they were raided by the entirety of Europe for their talent.

Newcastle are in a similar position to the one that Monaco found themselves in as Campos joined in 2013 - a team with former success that have waited a long time to win trophies again.

Staveley has made it clear that she wants Newcastle to be up there and challenging for the Premier League title within the next five years, and Campos could be the ideal solution as he managed this feat within that time frame with Monaco, and then with Lille.

The Premier League however, is very competitive, and after a period of dominance by Manchester City and Liverpool it seems as close as ever with United and Chelsea closing the gap.

Campos seems ready for a Premier League challenge though, and upon learning that English sides were interested in him in May, the former Lille director told Sky Sports: "I consider myself privileged to be on the shortlist of clubs of this profile, and obviously feel proud and honoured about it. As a competitor, I would obviously like the challenge. I am ready."