After Dan Ashworth asked to leave and was placed on gardening leave, the question for Newcastle United is who do they replace their sporting director with? Do they promote from within or go big name hunting?
The case for promoting from within lies firmly at the feet of head of recruitment Steve Nickson and evidence suggests his ascension could prove an astute move.
Though such an appointment would not have the stardust some fans crave, Nickson would offer continuity and stability.
Newcastle's transfer policy so far has been steady and effective. Throughout, Nickson's depth of knowledge and relationship with agents has been pivotal in identifying and negotiating signings such as Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes, Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Allan Saint-Maximin.