Eddie Howe has left Newcastle United, with his final match in charge ending in a 4-1 pre-season friendly defeat to Bristol City on Wednesday. The 48-year-old had led the Magpies to Champions League qualification in both 2023 and 2025, but his tenure ends with the club’s league performance described as severely underwhelming after a fifth-place finish in 2024-25, and an EFL Cup defence that fell short at the semi-final stage.
Matthias Jaissle is expected to be appointed as Howe’s successor. Sources indicate Howe does not have another job lined up, with his departure based purely on a personal feeling that his time at the club has run its course. He is said to be deeply emotional about the decision, though it is one that has been on his mind for several months. Howe had decided earlier in the year to remain at St James’ Park despite the inevitability of player sales, but his perspective shifted over the summer.
Well-placed sources have indicated a degree of surprise from Howe at the club’s transfer business this summer, though he was aware of the need to sell players. In January, he described the prospect of losing Alexander Isak as “ever-challenging” and repeatedly called for reinforcements in media conferences. BBC Sport understands concern has grown over how the squad is shaping up for next season and how competitive it could be, though the transfer situation is not the sole factor behind his exit.
Jaissle, 38, is expected to fill the vacancy at Newcastle. He joined Al-Ahli in 2023 and guided the Saudi club to back-to-back AFC Champions League titles in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Before that, he succeeded Jesse Marsch as RB Salzburg manager in 2021, winning consecutive Austrian Bundesliga titles and the Austrian Cup.
A former defender who spent his playing career in Germany, Jaissle progressed through the Stuttgart youth system before playing senior football for Hoffenheim from 2007 to 2014. Capped by Germany at Under-21 level, he was forced to retire through injury at 25. He began his coaching career as assistant manager at Danish side Brondby before taking charge of Austrian second division club Liefering.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
