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Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has extended his congratulations to former Rangers colleague Ross Wilson, who has recently been appointed as Newcastle's new sporting director.
The Magpies have finally secured their St. James' Park chief after activating his release clause, marking the end of a lengthy pursuit. The move sees him transition from Nottingham Forest to the North East in a Premier League switch.
Wilson steps into a role that has been vacant since Paul Mitchell left the club by mutual agreement in June 2025. The new backroom boss at Newcastle has previously held positions at Rangers and Southampton, and will now be responsible for recruitment and sporting strategy, following a two-and-a-half-year stint at Forest.
Upon confirmation of Wilson's appointment, Gerrard took to social media to share a message of support. The former Reds captain said: "Congratulations @ross wilson7, great club for you best of luck mate."
Gerrard began his managerial career at Rangers, where he worked closely with Wilson. Their successful partnership led to a triumphant 2020-21 Scottish Premiership campaign, during which the team didn't lose a single match.
Their paths diverged when Gerrard's impressive coaching performance earned him the managerial position at Aston Villa midway through the subsequent season. Wilson has previously spoken highly of the Liverpool icon from their time working together.
He said: "As soon as I met Stevie, within five minutes of meeting him I knew we would get on great, and I don't mean that tongue in cheek. I knew we would have that relationship.
"Steven is a world class communicator. You know where you stand and I had no doubt where we stood as a pair."
After linking up with Eddie Howe, Wilson shared his enthusiasm for the Tyneside club in a new statement.
He said: "This is such a special club and I fully understand the passion, ambition, and expectations of our incredible supporters, as well as the ambition and desire of our ownership to keep developing and building an even stronger Newcastle United.
"My conversations with ownership have been extremely positive. I've also been in regular contact with Eddie Howe and David Hopkinson.
"The trust, cohesion, and alignment we're building already feels strong. We believe being united as a team will be so important as we continue to move the club forward together."
Meanwhile, Gerrard has remained without a club since departing Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ettifaq in January, following an 18-month spell in charge.
At one point, it appeared the Champions League-winning skipper might make a comeback to Ibrox, but he ruled himself out of contention shortly after Russell Martin's dismissal.
The Glasgow team has consequently found itself searching desperately for alternatives. German tactician and former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl is presently believed to be leading the race.
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