Premier League club make official announcement of Newcastle United 'target' after Liverpool swoop

AFC Bournemouth have confirmed Tiago Pinto as the club’s incoming president of football operations.

This comes after Pinto was identified as a potential replacement for Dan Ashworth as Newcastle United’s sporting director. The Magpies turned to Dougie Freedman at Crystal Palace instead but a move has failed to materialise with the former Palace player agreeing a new contract at Selhurst Park.

Bournemouth confirmed Pinto’s arrival with a short statement which read: “We're delighted to welcome our new president of football operations, Tiago Pinto “He will start in his role next week and will work with the club’s chief executive Neill Blake and technical director Simon Francis on all football matters. Welcome, Tiago.”

Pinto replaces Richard Hughes in the position at the Vitality Stadium. Hughes was also linked with a move to Newcastle given his connections to head coach Eddie Howe but has since been appointed as Liverpool’s new sporting director.

As for Pinto, he previously admitted to being interested in the role at Newcastle.

“If a big club like Newcastle asks to speak to you, of course you’re interested,” he told i News. “I know the club’s story very well because Sir Bobby Robson was a big personality in Portugal and we associated him with Newcastle. I followed the club because of that passion.

“The work the new ownership has done has been very impressive, with a clever strategy they’ve come from a relegation fight to the Champions League so there’s huge potential at Newcastle. I don’t know if the interest is true or not but who would say no to a project like that?”

Ultimately, Newcastle’s search for a sporting director is still ongoing with the summer transfer window set to open on June 14. In the meantime, Newcastle head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, will take charge of transfer duties, assisted by Andy Howe.

The Magpies are already close to agreeing deals before the transfer window officially opens. Free transfer moves for Lloyd Kelly and Tosin Adarabioyo are close to completion while the club will permanently sign Lewis Hall from Chelsea for £28million this summer following his loan spell.