Newcastle United are reportedly on the verge of securing the services of former Manchester United chief global scout Marcel Bout, as the Magpies aim to strengthen their squad in the upcoming January transfer window.
The 60-year-old Dutchman, who has also worked for Bayern Munich and the Dutch national team, is set to take up the role of chief scout at St James’ Park, according to Dutch publication AD Sportwereld.
Newcastle have witnessed significant on-field improvements since the takeover by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund in 2021, and are now said to be focusing on strategic additions to the team supporting manager Eddie Howe.
Should he join the Magpies Bout will undoubtedly find himself busy from day one, with the club looking to recruit fresh blood in light of their current injury crisis, which has seen key players like Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, and Dan Burn sidelined.
Additionally, summer signing Sandro Tonali has been banned for the remainder of the season after admitting to breaches of gambling rules that took place whilst the 23-year-old was playing in Italy.
While the Saudi owners have exercised a certain level of restraint in the transfer market since their takeover, it is believed they are ready to splash the cash in January in order to address the squad’s current challenges.
Bout spent eight years at Old Trafford after joining United in 2014, and served as the club’s chief global scout between October 2016 and April 2022.
