Overview

• Sudarshan Gopaladesikan officially joined Newcastle United on July 21, 2025 after serving as Benfica’s Head of Sports Data Science and Atalanta’s Director of Football Intelligence.
• He will report into the yet-to-be-named Sporting Director, creating a distinct Technical Director role separate from Paul Mitchell’s responsibilities.
• His brief covers data-driven scouting, match analysis and performance methodology for the men’s first team, with plans to extend those practices to the women’s squad and academy.
• The appointment underlines Newcastle’s strategic shift toward modern football operations, reflecting wider Premier League and European trends in analytics-led decision making.
• Gopaladesikan will work closely with Eddie Howe’s coaching, medical and recruitment teams to leverage football intelligence for competitive advantage.