Eddie Howe leaves Newcastle United with Matthias Jaissle set to replace him

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 preseason 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. 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 (PIF), 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 the club’s owners to offer him another season during a summit meeting at a Northumberland country house hotel in April.

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 £20 million to £40 million (€17.4 million to 38.8 million) bracket. — Guardian

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