Newcastle United make major swoop to appoint transfer supremo who unearthed Enzo Fernandez

Newcastle United have appointed Tomas Amaral as the club's new Head of First Team Recruitment. The Portuguese talent spotter arrives following the departures of chief scout Steve Nickson and football executive Andy Howe in 2026. Amaral, who previously served as Sporting Director at Spartak Moscow and held a scouting leadership role at Benfica, will report directly to Newcastle's Sporting Director Ross Wilson.

During his time at Benfica, Amaral played a pivotal role in signing Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from River Plate for £8.5m in July 2022 before Fernandez later transferred to Chelsea and Manchester City. In his new role, Amaral will lead first-team scouting operations and market expansion, while Paul Midgley will oversee Academy recruitment and emerging global talent.