Eddie Howe is set to step down as Newcastle United head coach, with Al Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle expected to succeed him at St James’ Park. The 48-year-old initially opted to remain with the Magpies at the end of last season but has now decided to leave after five years……
Eddie Howe is set to step down as Newcastle United head coach, with Al Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle expected to succeed him at St James’ Park.
The 48-year-old initially opted to remain with the Magpies at the end of last season but has now decided to leave after five years in charge. His departure is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
Howe, who guided Newcastle to their first major trophy in 70 years by winning the 2025 Carabao Cup, has informed the club that he intends to take a break from football.
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His exit is understood to be on amicable terms, with Newcastle already preparing for the transition. Negotiations with Jaissle are reportedly at an advanced stage.
Jaissle, 38, has enjoyed considerable success with Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, winning back-to-back AFC Champions League titles in 2025 and 2026. Like Newcastle, Al Ahli is majority-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023, the German coach spent two seasons at Red Bull Salzburg, where he won successive Austrian Bundesliga titles and the Austrian Cup. Renowned for his attacking, high-intensity style, Jaissle has emerged as one of Europe’s highly rated young coaches.
Howe arrived at Newcastle in November 2021, replacing Steve Bruce shortly after the club’s takeover by the PIF-led consortium, with the team sitting 19th in the Premier League.
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He successfully guided Newcastle away from relegation before leading them to a fourth-place finish and UEFA Champions League qualification in the 2022-23 campaign. Two seasons later, he secured another top-five finish and delivered the club’s first major domestic trophy since 1955 after defeating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
However, Newcastle endured a disappointing 2025-26 season, finishing 12th in the Premier League and suffering an 8-3 aggregate defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The club also struggled for consistency during the second half of the campaign, winning only five of their final 17 league matches.
Although Howe retained the backing of the club’s hierarchy following end-of-season meetings with senior PIF officials, he has now chosen to bring his tenure to an end.
Newcastle are also navigating a difficult transfer window after selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur, while captain Bruno Guimaraes continues to attract interest from Premier League champions Arsenal.
