Paul Mitchell to be joined by ex-Monaco and Southampton colleague at Newcastle

According to Craig Hope of The Mail, Newcastle United is set to appoint former Monaco performance director James Bunce, reuniting him with the club’s new sporting director, Paul Mitchell.

Bunce and Mitchell have a history of working together, having previously collaborated at Southampton before moving to Monaco in 2020. At Newcastle, Bunce is expected to take on the role of ‘director of performance,’ focusing on building the club’s infrastructure.

Under Mitchell’s guidance, Bunce’s role at Monaco included responsibilities such as injury prevention, risk reduction, monitoring physical preparation, and overseeing performance, medical, nutritional, and psychological aspects.

This appointment comes on the heels of the announcement that co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi will be leaving the club after just three years. Newcastle is clearly gearing up for significant changes behind the scenes ahead of the new season.

It will be interesting to see how Mitchell and Bunce collaborate in the coming months to help Newcastle achieve their goals in the transfer window and beyond as they prepare for an important 2024/25 season.