Newcastle are considering Chelsea’s former head of international scouting Scott McLachlan as their next sporting director, according to TEAMTalk.

The Magpies have been considering potential replacements for Dan Ashworth, who was put on gardening leave last month.

Manchester United are still negotiating a compensation package for Ashworth, but Newcastle are keen to make sure that they have his successor lined up as and when he does leave St James’ Park.

McLachlan does have a great deal of experience, having spent over 11 years at Chelsea before leaving Stamford Bridge following the takeover of the club by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

What do Newcastle fans need to know about McLachlan?

The 54-year-old has worked in football for over 30 years, having started out life at academy level with Wimbledon before spells at Northampton and Southampton.

In 2009, McLachlan was recruited by Fulham who made him their Chief Scout. He spent just two and a half years at Craven Cottage before being headhunted by Chelsea.

During his decade with the Blues, the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Mo Salah, Kurt Zouma, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic were all brought in. Of course, he wasn’t solely responsible for these purchases but he certainly had a significant say in the recruitment process.

Developing a multi-club model

TEAMtalk claim that the second reason McLachlan is seen as an attractive option is his recent work with Global Football Holdings, which is headed up by David Blitzer.

The American investor owns stakes in Crystal Palace, Estoril Praia, Alcorcon, ADO Den Haag, Real Salt Lake, Brondby and FC Augsburg. With Newcastle keen to create a network of clubs of their own, McLachlan’s expertise could prove to be invaluable.

You can watch the documentary – Newcastle United: The Road Back To Europe on Shots! TV here