Tuesday morning has seen Newcastle United announce the appointment of Tomás Amaral.

The 35-year-old becoming the new United Head of First Team Recruitment.

The official club statement beginning: ‘Newcastle United is pleased to announce the appointment of Tomás Amaral as the club’s new Head of First Team Recruitment. Tomás arrives with extensive experience across European football, having built a reputation for talent identification, market intelligence and strategic squad planning through roles in Portugal, Spain and Russia.’

The new appointment is Portuguese and was most recently the Sporting Director at Spartak Moscow.

He previously held a scouting leadership position at Benfica, where he played a key role during a period that culminated in the club’s most recent Primeira Liga title in 2023.

Newcastle United going on to say: ‘Tomás’ appointment forms part of Newcastle United’s ongoing strengthening of its talent identification and recruitment structure. Reporting to Sporting Director Ross Wilson, Tomás will lead the club’s first team scouting operation and will play an important role in further expanding the club’s market presence and relationships across key territories. As part of the department’s evolution, Paul Midgley will also report directly to Ross Wilson in overseeing Academy recruitment and global emerging talent scouting.’

Newcastle United Sporting Director Ross Wilson: “Tomás’ appointment is an important step as we reshape and strengthen our recruitment structure. It was important that we identified a leader who could further enhance our capability and help drive our long-term ambitions, and Tomás has established an excellent reputation for his strategic approach to talent identification. He is highly respected across European football and brings significant experience, outstanding market knowledge and a strong network of relationships. I am delighted to welcome him to Newcastle United and look forward to working closely with him.”

Tomás Amaral commenting: “It is with great pride and a strong sense of responsibility that I join Newcastle United, a historic club with passionate supporters who have high expectations and ambitions. From my very first conversations with Ross Wilson, I immediately understood the vision and the direction the club wants to take over the coming years. I strongly share the ideas and ambitions of the people at the club, and I am determined to play my part in contributing to Newcastle United’s success. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone and getting started at a club with such high standards.”