Newcastle United have officially confirmed the departure of head coach Eddie Howe after nearly five years in charge ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The 48-year-old leaves St James’ Park following a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, in which the Magpies finished 12th in the Premier League and missed out on European qualification.
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His coaching staff, including Jason Tindall, Graeme Jones, Stephen Purches, Simon Weatherstone and head of performance Dan Hodges, have also departed.
“After a period of personal reflection, I have decided that now is the right time for me to step away from my role,” said Howe. “After nearly five years of giving my life, heart and soul into the club with unrelenting energy, I feel that it is in the best interests of both myself and the club to step away, recharge and take a break.
“Although it’s been incredibly difficult to make this decision, I know in my heart that it’s the right one. It has been the privilege of my lifetime to have been the manager of Newcastle United.”
Howe was appointed in November 2021 and transformed Newcastle’s fortunes, guiding the club to two Champions League qualifications and ending a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the League Cup in 2024/25.
However, Newcastle endured a difficult season despite reaching the Champions League last 16, where they were eliminated by Barcelona.
The club also lost 17 league matches and have seen Sandro Tonali join Tottenham and Anthony Gordon move to Barcelona this summer, while captain Bruno Guimaraes continues to be linked with Arsenal.
Last summer, Newcastle spent around £240million on new signings, but Howe was frustrated by the prolonged transfer saga that ended with Alexander Isak joining Liverpool for a British-record £125million.
According to Sky Sports News, Newcastle are set to appoint former RB Salzburg and Al Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle as Howe’s successor on Saturday.
The Magpies have agreed to pay around £9.5million (€11million) in compensation to Al Ahli, with the 38-year-old expected to sign a four-year contract.
Jaissle is due to meet the squad at their training camp in La Manga before taking charge of his first match against Valencia in a pre-season friendly next Saturday.
Newcastle United will begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign against Liverpool at St James’ Park on August 23, with Matthias Jaissle set to take charge of his first competitive match as the Magpies’ new head coach.