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12 hours ago
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Eddie Howe has left Newcastle and is set to be replaced by the German coach Matthias Jaissle, who is currently in charge of the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli.
Although the timing of Howe’s abrupt departure following almost five years in charge at St James’ Park is unexpected, his position had been under intense scrutiny from Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian owners for some time.
Sources have suggested the 48-year-old told them he wanted to take a break from football following a transformative Tyneside tenure that saw Newcastle win the League Cup in 2025 and twice qualify for the Champions League.
Not that Howe gave any indication of the events about to unfold when he spoke to reporters following Wednesday night’s 4-1 pre-season friendly defeat at Bristol City. “Every day as Newcastle manager is a great day for me,” he said. “I absolutely love the football club and that will never change.
“I think there’s always reasons to be optimistic and that’s very much my default setting,” Howe added. “I believe great things are possible every season with a real buzz of what’s ahead. I see no reason for it be any different this year.”
Earlier on Wednesday though, bookmakers’ odds on Howe becoming the first manager to be sacked this season had shortened dramatically.
By Thursday morning the Newcastle hierarchy’s negotiations with Jaissle were said to be at an advanced stage. Given that Al-Ahli are also owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the split from his current club is unlikely to prove problematic.
Although a disappointing 12th-place Premier League finish last season left some Newcastle fans calling for his sacking, Howe appeared to have convinced PIF to offer him another season during a summit meeting at a Northumberland country house hotel in April.
Howe's highs and lows at Newcastle
Show
2021-22: The firefighter
After taking over from Steve Bruce in November 2021, Eddie Howe gets strong backing in the January transfer window and guides Newcastle to an 11th-place finish. A run of six straight wins at home sees the Magpies become the first team in Premier League history to avoid relegation after failing to win any of their first 14 games.
2022-23: Return to Europe
Alexander Isak arrives for big money in the summer, but it is mostly existing players like Callum Wilson and Miguel Almirón who power Howe's side to the League Cup final, which ends in defeat to Manchester United. Newcastle respond well, earning a fourth-place finish to qualify for the Champions League.
2023-24: Injuries bite
Howe's training methods are called into doubt as Newcastle finish bottom of their Champions League group and struggle with injuries all season. They also lose £55m signing Sandro Tonali to a betting ban. A late run earns seventh spot but European hopes are dashed as Manchester United stun City in the FA Cup final.
2024-25: League Cup triumph
A brilliant, Dan Burn-inspired win over Liverpool at Wembley sees Howe lift the League Cup (pictured) and finally end Newcastle's long trophy drought. With Isak banging in 23 Premier League goals, the Toon secure a fifth-place finish, which is good enough to earn Champions League qualification once again.
2025-26: The ghost of Isak
A summer-long saga over the sale of Isak to Liverpool scuppers plans for Howe's fourth full season in charge. The fans turn on wantaway Anthony Gordon midway through a campaign that is all but ended by a humiliating 7-2 defeat at Barcelona in March. Howe's final five months in charge feature 14 defeats across all competitions as Newcastle slump to 12th in the Premier League. Tom Bassam
Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA
This, though, has been a turbulent summer featuring the exits of high profile Newcastle first teamers, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham respectively allied to considerable doubt surrounding the future of the Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimarães.
Howe’s previously considerable influence over transfers had been reduced significantly since Ross Wilson’s installation as director of football. Wilson has introduced a new policy of signing largely young players with high resale potential priced, broadly, in the £20m to £40m bracket.
