Eddie Howe has left Newcastle United after almost five years in charge, with the club in advanced talks to appoint Matthias Jaissle as his successor. The parting is described as amicable, with Howe having told the Saudi Arabian owners more than a fortnight ago that he wanted to leave.
The 48-year-old cited exhaustion and a desire for a break after a transformative tenure that included winning the League Cup in 2025 and twice qualifying for the Champions League. However, he had grown disillusioned recently as his control over transfers diminished, with sporting director Ross Wilson overseeing the sales of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, following Alexander Isak's departure a year earlier.
Howe's exit comes after a turbulent summer in which the club adopted a policy of signing young players with high resale potential, typically in the £20m-£40m range, to comply with spending rules. Bruno Guimarães is reportedly closing in on an £80m move to Arsenal, and Howe admitted after Wednesday's pre-season friendly that he had "lost control" of transfers.
Jaissle, 38, has been in charge of Al-Ahli since 2023, winning a Saudi Super Cup and two Asian Champions Leagues, having previously won two Austrian Bundesliga titles and an Austrian Cup with RB Salzburg. His move from Al-Ahli is expected to be straightforward as both clubs are owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Despite calls for his dismissal after a 12th-place Premier League finish, Howe had been given another chance in April, but he reiterated his commitment in June before becoming disenchanted by the summer's events. He will be remembered at St James' Park for leading Newcastle to two Carabao Cup finals, winning one against Liverpool last year.
