Newcastle United chief executive Darren Eales will step down from his position after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer, the club has confirmed.
Eales, 52, joined Newcastle in August 2022 and will continue in his role until a successor is appointed.
"Being CEO of Newcastle United is an extraordinary privilege and I am incredibly proud to be part of the club's exciting journey," Eales said.
"However, it has become apparent to me that now is the right time to make this decision so that I can prioritise my health and my family."
Eales was appointed within the first year of Newcastle's £305m Saudi Arabian-backed takeover.
In the period since his arrival, the club reached its first domestic cup final in 24 years in the 2022-23 Carabao Cup and last season returned to the Champions League after Eddie Howe’s side finished fourth in the Premier League.
Newcastle announced the appointment of Paul Mitchell as their sporting director in July after Dan Ashworth left for Manchester United, which followed the departure of co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi.
"In the short term, it will be business as usual in terms of running the club's day-to-day operations, and I will give my full support to a transitionary period that will enable the board to carefully assess and appoint my successor," Eales said.
