Nickson is understood to be on West Ham United's radar after the club's previous head of recruitment, Max Hahn, departed following relegation last season, reports ChronicleLive.
The Hammers are reported to be looking for a replacement with a wider remit and a stronger presence within the football department, with Nickson's sporting director qualification seen as a key factor in his appeal.
A move would give the 61-year-old greater responsibility as West Ham look to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
Nickson has held the role of head of recruitment at Newcastle United since 2017, when he was promoted by then-manager Rafa Benitez.
He originally joined the club as an academy talent spotter after working at Blackburn Rovers, before working his way through the recruitment department over a period of 15 years on Tyneside.
His initial brief at Newcastle was to identify young players between the ages of 17 and 21 with sell-on potential, a remit that evolved significantly as the club's ownership and ambitions changed.
Nickson has worked alongside scout Andy Howe in recent years, as well as former sporting directors Dan Ashworth and Paul Mitchell, helping to shape the club's recruitment strategy through several different regimes.
West Ham's interest comes as no surprise given the run of successful signings Nickson has overseen during his time at the club.
He was singled out for praise by co-owner Amanda Staveley during her time as a director at St James' Park, who credited his deep knowledge of the player market in helping the new ownership group quickly establish a transfer committee after taking charge.
Nickson was the key figure behind signings such as the £40m arrival of Joelinton and the £33.3m deal for Bruno Guimaraes.
Even while working with a limited budget under previous owner Mike Ashley, he delivered value by sourcing forward Ayoze Perez from Tenerife for just £1.5m, before the Spaniard was later sold to Leicester City for £30m.
It would not be the first time a rival club has attempted to prise a member of Newcastle's backroom staff away, with Manchester United having tried unsuccessfully to recruit academy figure Paul Midgley last winter.
Newcastle managed to keep Midgley by offering him a role with greater responsibility within the academy, but a similar outcome looks less certain with Nickson, whose departure would be considered a significant blow to the club's recruitment operation.