Eddie Howe to leave Newcastle: Matthias Jaissle lined up as successor

Eddie Howe is set to depart his role as Newcastle United head coach, bringing an end to his five-year tenure at St James' Park. Despite initially planning to continue, the 48-year-old has informed the club's board that he intends to take a break from football.

The separation is described as amicable, and club officials are already working on a replacement. Advanced talks are currently underway to appoint Al-Ahli head coach Matthias Jaissle as Howe's successor.

Jaissle has emerged as the clear favorite to take the position. The German coach has strong ties to Newcastle's majority owners, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), who also oversee his current club. After building his reputation at Red Bull Salzburg, Jaissle further cemented his status by leading Al-Ahli to consecutive AFC Champions League titles.

Howe leaves a significant legacy, having taken over in 2021 when the club was in 19th place and guiding them to a major trophy in 2025—the Carabao Cup—ending a 70-year drought. However, after a difficult 2025-26 campaign that saw the club finish 12th in the Premier League and exit the Champions League in the round of 16, the club is entering a period of major restructuring.

The new manager will face an immediate challenge, with key players like Anthony Gordon already sold to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur. With Arsenal also pursuing Bruno Guimaraes, the squad faces significant upheaval this summer.