Newcastle United have pulled off a raid on Liverpool after securing the services of analyst Mark Leyland in a major boost for Eddie Howe.
That’s according to The Independent, who claim that Leyland actually started work for Newcastle last week.
Jurgen Klopp and assistant Pep Lijnders are understood to have wanted Leyland to snub Newcastle and stay at Liverpool.
Yet with greater responsibility in his new role at Newcastle, Leyland just couldn’t say no.
Leyland served as Liverpool’s ‘post-match and elite player development analyst’. At Newcastle, Leyland will be a first team coach and analyst, combining the two roles.
The hope is that Leyland – who spent eight years at Liverpool – will help bring a complete approach to Newcastle through match preparation.
Leyland has history with Newcastle boss Howe
This is a major coup for Eddie Howe – especially because the Newcastle boss already knows Leyland.
Howe and Leyland worked together at Burnley before they went their separate ways.
Howe left Burnley in 2012, and Leyland moved on to Liverpool in 2013. The pair are understood to have been close friends off the pitch ever since.
That pull of working with Howe again may have been the key factor In Leyland deciding to swap Liverpool for Newcastle.
Liverpool actually face Newcastle on Thursday, meaning Leyland has a tough task on his hands trying to help Howe mastermind a shock win.
For the long-term though, this appears to be a major coup for Newcastle even if fans may not see his impact.
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