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30 July 2026

Eddie Howe is reportedly on course to leave Newcastle in a shock summer departure, with Matthias Jaissle being prepared as his successor.

The Athletic reported on Thursday morning that Howe has told the club he wants to take a break after five years in charge at St James’ Park and is expected to step down very soon.

The unexpected move follows a difficult 2025/26 season in which Howe’s future on Tyneside came under major scrutiny, with Newcastle ending the Premier League campaign in 12th place.

Newcastle made it to the last 16 of the Champions League, but were hammered 8-3 on aggregate by Barcelona. They also suffered a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with City having also beaten them in the FA Cup fifth round.

After the season, a decision had been taken to keep the former Bournemouth and Burnley manager in his role. However, he has now chosen to give up the job only hours after his team were beaten 4-1 by Championship side Bristol City in a pre-season friendly at Ashton Gate on Wednesday night.

Howe is expected to be replaced swiftly at Newcastle by German coach Jaissle, the former Red Bull Salzburg manager who is currently in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

Newcastle had started pre-season with a 3-0 victory over Darlington and a 1-1 draw against Gateshead, beginning a second consecutive summer that had already been dominated by high-profile transfer sagas involving players such as Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.

Guimaraes is widely expected to join Arsenal after Tonali and Gordon moved to Tottenham and Barcelona respectively, with Newcastle trying to offset those major departures through the signings of Bazoumana Toure, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur and Ewen Jaouen.

Last summer, Newcastle sold striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool in a British-record transfer worth £125million after a lengthy and protracted saga. More major sales have been needed this summer after the club failed to qualify for Europe altogether.

Howe will surely be remembered as a Newcastle legend, having ended the club’s 70-year wait for a major trophy when they defeated Liverpool 2-1 in the 2024/25 Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

He also guided Newcastle into the Champions League and oversaw two campaigns in the competition — which the club had not reached since 2002/03 — producing several unforgettable moments, including the stunning 4-1 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain at St James’ Park in October 2023.