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 a possible exit had been circulating for several weeks. During that period, Howe continued to concentrate on readying the Magpies for their opening Premier League match against Liverpool on August 23, a game that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. His resignation now comes just 25 days before that high‑profile fixture.
The leading candidate to succeed Howe is Matthias Jaissle, the 38‑year‑old German manager currently in charge of Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Sources close to Sky Sports News say that negotiations with Jaissle are at an advanced stage and that Newcastle hope to announce him as the new boss within the next 24 hours.
Al Ahli is one of the four football clubs owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the same sovereign wealth fund that also owns Newcastle United, which makes the potential appointment a logical fit. Other names that were reportedly on the shortlist included Kieran McKenna and Antonio Conte, but the club appears to have settled on Jaissle.
If the deal goes through, Jaissle will immediately take charge of the squad’s pre‑season training camp in La Manga, Spain, giving him a short but crucial window to assess the players before the season kicks off. Newcastle’s summer has already been turbulent. The club sold midfield dynamo Sandro Tonali and forward Anthony Gordon, and now faces uncertainty over captain Bruno Guimarães, who is heavily linked with a move to Arsenal. Those departures have reportedly weighed on Howe’s mind, as he expressed concerns about the shape of the squad heading into the new campaign.
In addition, Newcastle completed a record‑breaking sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a British‑record £125 million last summer, further depleting their attacking options. Despite the upheaval, the Magpies have been active in the transfer market. They secured 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, they missed out on Johan Manzambi, who chose to join Aston Villa – a disappointment that reportedly upset Howe. Howe’s tenure at Newcastle will be remembered as one of the most successful in the club’s modern history. He guided the team to a League Cup triumph, ending a 70‑year wait for major silverware, and achieved two top‑five Premier League finishes that earned Newcastle places in the Champions League.
Under his leadership, the club also reached unprecedented stages in Europe, progressing further in the Champions League than ever before. His final match in charge was a 4‑1 defeat in a pre‑season friendly against Championship side Bristol City. After the loss, Howe informed his coaching staff that his departure had been planned for weeks and was unrelated to the result.
He said he had given his full commitment to the club at the end of last season but had since changed his mind, opting to take a break from football. Howe emphasized that he wanted a replacement in place before he left, and that there was no ill feeling between him and the club. He described his time at Newcastle as having taken him as far as he could after nearly five years at the helm, and praised the organization and its supporters.
The squad has not yet been told of the change and is currently on a day off before flying to Spain for the pre‑season camp. Newcastle has not released an official statement, but insiders say the club is moving swiftly to finalise the Jaissle appointment.
Advanced talks have also involved Antonio Conte and Kieran McKenna, indicating that the club considered several high‑profile options before narrowing down to the German coach. Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher weighed in, suggesting that Howe may have felt his energy was waning after building a team that once dominated the league. Carragher noted that the intense demands of managing a club the size of Newcastle, which is the focal point of an entire city, can be draining.
He pointed out that the poor recruitment outcomes of the previous season, combined with the need to sell key players for maximum value, likely contributed to Howe’s decision. Carragher praised Howe as an "icon" and "legend" for his achievements, acknowledging that stepping away might be the right move for both the manager and the club.
In his concluding remarks, Howe declined to guarantee the future of captain Bruno Guimarães, who remains the subject of strong interest from Arsenal. He reiterated that Guimarães is a committed player who consistently delivers high‑level performances, but also stressed that the player does not control his own destiny. Howe warned that any distraction surrounding transfer speculation could be unhealthy, yet he expressed confidence that the Brazilian will return to training in good condition and continue to make a positive impact.
Former players and fans have voiced mixed reactions on social media. Some, like former Newcastle midfielder Jay Bothroyd, empathised with Howe’s frustration over losing top talent and questioned the club’s ability to remain competitive without a strong squad. Others, such as long‑time supporter Chris W, rallied behind Howe, calling for statues to commemorate his legacy.
The consensus among many commentators is that Newcastle now faces a challenging period, with the upcoming season likely to be a test of the new manager’s ability to rebuild a competitive side amid ongoing transfer speculation and the looming prospect of a relegation battle. As the Magpies prepare for their La Manga camp, all eyes will be on how quickly Jaissle can imprint his philosophy on a team in transition, and whether Newcastle can navigate the turbulence of a summer marked by high‑profile exits while still aiming to compete at the highest level of English football.