Kinnear resigns as Newcastle director of football

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Newcastle says Joe Kinnear has resigned from his position as the club's director of football.

Kinnear took over the role in June last year and was in charge of player recruitment at the Premier League team.

However, in the January transfer window, Newcastle sold its best player — Yohan Cabaye — to Paris Saint-Germain and failed to replace him. The club's only signing was striker Luuk de Jong, who joined on loan from German side Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Newcastle says in a short statement that Kinnear has quit "with immediate effect."