Credit: Hasan Karim - Breaking Media/ Imago

Alex Oakhill

Mon 4 August 2025 7:00, UK

Newcastle have been warned that they have made the wrong decision with a major deal close to completion.

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The Magpies are going through a difficult transfer window and have already missed out on a number of key targets this summer.

Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, James Trafford, and Bryan Mbeumo are among those who opted for Premier League rivals over a move to St James’ Park.

Behind the scenes, Newcastle are set to confirm David Hopkinson as their new CEO, following the departure of Darren Earles.

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that it is a bad appointment from the Tyneside club.

Newcastle missed out on Pedro (Credit: Imago)

This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen CEO.

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Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that Newcastle should have hired a football man as their new CEO, rather than Hopkinson, who is more of an administrator.

The 54-year-old is the former Head of Partnerships at Real Madrid and has a wealth of experience on the commercial side of operations.

Wyness added that the appointment worries him, as it could take more than a year for Hopkinson to get up to speed.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Look, I don’t know him personally, but looking from the outside, what I can say is that David Hopkinson, and I’ve looked through his background, seems to be an administrator rather than somebody with great football experience.

I’ve seen clubs before getting people in from other businesses and other industries because they’ve got great administrative skills, they’re good business people, I understand that.

But they always end up needing people with football experience, and you can’t take it away.

I’ve dealt with them before, have dealt with the clubs before, understand the politics of the Premier League, and I’m afraid no matter how good an administrator you are, there would be a learning curve.

“I’d say it’s at least a year, if not more, before you can really get into the rhythm of a club’s season and understand football to a degree.

So I think it’s the wrong decision, they should have gone for somebody with football experience.”

Isak could be off to Newcastle (Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Meanwhile, Liverpool are set to “shatter” the British transfer record as they intensify their bid to sign Newcastle star Alexander Isak with a new mega offer, sources have told Football Insider.

Football Insider revealed on 28 July that the Reds are increasingly “confident” of signing Isak and are planning to lodge a new bid imminently.

Arne Slot’s side are willing to pay £120m plus add-ons to land the Sweden international and club-to-club talks continue behind the scenes at St James’ Park.

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