Newcastle United appoint Sudarshan Gopaladesikan as Technical Director | OneFootball

Newcastle United have appointed Sudarshan Gopaladesikan as the club’s new technical director as part of their ongoing sporting restructure.

The former Atalanta and Benfica staffer will oversee football data operations at all levels of the club and report to a new sporting director, whose appointment is still pending following the departure of Paul Mitchell last month.

Gopaladesikan, known in the industry as ‘Suds’, joins from Atalanta, where he served as director of football intelligence.

He arrives with a strong reputation for data-driven recruitment and performance analysis, having played a part in the Serie A side’s Europa League triumph and three consecutive top-five league finishes.

During his time in Italy, he was credited with identifying talents like Rasmus Hojlund, who joined Atalanta from Sturm Graz for €17 million and was later sold to Manchester United for an initial €75 million after just one season.

At Newcastle, he will work closely with Eddie Howe and his staff, as well as the club’s recruitment, performance, medical and analysis departments. His remit spans the men’s, women’s and academy teams.

Speaking after his appointment, Gopaladesikan said he was honoured to join Newcastle and looked forward to contributing to a club with a “unique connection between the team, the city and its supporters.” He also highlighted his desire to help identify tools that give the Magpies a competitive edge.

His arrival signals Newcastle’s intent to further modernise their football operations with data at the core, amid expectations that more appointments will follow this summer.

The club are still in search of a permanent sporting director to replace Mitchell, who left in June less than a year into the job. Ross Wilson has held follow-up interviews for the role, with Jason Ayto also linked, according to reports.

Ayto, formerly of Arsenal, was credited with helping reshape the Gunners’ recruitment structure during his time as Edu’s assistant before briefly stepping in as interim sporting director.

Wilson, meanwhile, has held senior roles at Rangers, Nottingham Forest and Southampton, and helped Rangers end their decade-long wait for a league title and reach the Europa League final.

Newcastle’s top-level shake-up continues following last season’s cup-winning campaign. Gopaladesikan’s arrival is seen as one of several key steps in establishing a more robust and forward-thinking football structure at the club.