Eddie Howe has officially stepped down from his position as head coach of Newcastle United. The decision was reached after intensive talks with the club’s senior management over the past two days, although the idea of leaving had been simmering for several weeks.
During that period Howe remained focused on readying the Magpies for their opening Premier League match against Liverpool on 23 August, a game that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. His resignation now arrives just 25 days before that high‑profile fixture. The frontrunner to fill the vacancy is Matthias Jaissle, the 38‑year‑old German who currently manages Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Sources close to Sky Sports News say negotiations with Jaissle are in an advanced stage and the club hopes to announce him as head coach within the next 24 hours.
Al Ahli is one of the four football outfits owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the same sovereign wealth fund that also controls Newcastle United, which explains the ease of the potential move. Other names that were reportedly on Newcastle’s shortlist included Kieran McKenna and Antonio Conte, but the board appears to have settled on Jaissle. If appointed, Jaissle will immediately assume responsibility for the squad’s pre‑season training camp in La Manga, Spain. Newcastle’s summer has already been turbulent.
The club has already sold midfield dynamo Sandro Tonali and winger Anthony Gordon, and the uncertainty surrounding captain Bruno Guimarães – who is heavily linked with a move to Arsenal – adds another layer of complexity. The departure of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a British‑record £125 million last summer also loomed large in Howe’s decision‑making, as the manager expressed concerns about the quality of the squad that would be available at the start of the new campaign. In the weeks leading up to his exit, Howe spent considerable time reflecting on his tenure.
He believed the club had made sensible signings over the summer and that he could still guide the team forward. Newcastle’s recent acquisitions include 20‑year‑old winger Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim for £42 million, 18‑year‑old midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax for £23 million, and 20‑year‑old goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen from Reims for £18.5 million. However, the club missed out on Johan Manzambi, who opted for a move to Aston Villa – a disappointment for both Howe and the fans. Howe will be remembered as one of Newcastle’s most successful managers.
He broke the club’s 70‑year trophy drought by winning the League Cup and secured back‑to‑back top‑five Premier League finishes that earned the Magpies two Champions League campaigns. Under his guidance, Newcastle reached unprecedented stages in Europe, surpassing any previous record in the competition. His final appearance in charge was a 4‑1 defeat in a pre‑season friendly against Championship side Bristol City.
After the match, Howe informed his coaching staff that his departure had been contemplated for two weeks and was unrelated to the result. He told them he intended to take a break from football and wanted the club to have a successor in place before he left. According to Sky Sports News’ Keith Downie, the board tried to persuade Howe to stay, but after nearly five years at the helm, he felt he had taken the job as far as he could. The club has expressed gratitude for his work, emphasizing that there is no animosity and that the players have yet to be informed of the change.
The timing of the announcement is far from ideal. The squad is due to travel to Spain for a training camp on Friday, and the club has not yet released an official statement.
Nevertheless, the board is moving swiftly, holding advanced talks with Jaissle while also having spoken to Conte and McKenna. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, speaking for Sky Sports, questioned whether Howe still possessed the energy to rebuild the side the way he did four or five years ago. Carragher noted that Newcastle, while not on the scale of Manchester United or Liverpool, is still a massive club in a single city, demanding constant intensity from its manager. He suggested that the poor recruitment in the previous season, combined with the sale of key players, may have drained Howe’s enthusiasm, leading him to step aside.
In his last press remarks, Howe declined to guarantee the future of captain Bruno Guimarães amid Arsenal’s strong interest, but he reiterated that the Brazilian’s fate was not entirely in his own hands. Earlier reports indicated that Guimarães had expressed a desire to join the Premier League champions, yet Newcastle reportedly had no intention of selling the 28‑year‑old midfielder.
Howe praised Guimarães’s commitment, training standards and on‑field performances, stressing the club’s aim to retain its best talent. When asked whether the ongoing saga created a negative atmosphere, Howe admitted that any distraction could be harmful, but he emphasized that neither he nor Guimarães could control the external forces at play.
He concluded with a pragmatic “what will be, will be” outlook, urging the team to focus on preparation and performance. Former player Jay Bothroyd highlighted the exodus of players as a key factor behind Howe’s departure, noting that the manager had lost several of the squad’s top performers and was being forced to replace them with unproven talent.
Bothroyd warned that Newcastle could find themselves in a relegation battle if the transition is not managed carefully. Fans have taken to social media to voice a mixture of support, disappointment and frustration. Some applaud Howe’s achievements and lament the loss of a beloved figure, while others criticize the club’s transfer policy and the perceived lack of backing from ownership.
The consensus is clear: Newcastle faces a pivotal moment, and the appointment of a new manager will shape the club’s trajectory for the coming season and beyond.