Eddie Howe's future as Newcastle United manager has been thrown into doubt in recent weeks, but a new update has now emerged on the situation.
The Magpies have had a difficult campaign this season and currently find themselves 12th in the Premier League, following a disappointing defeat to local rivals Sunderland, while they were also humiliated in the Champions League by Barcelona, losing the second leg at the Camp Nou 7-2 to crash out at the Last 16 stage.
That saw the club's chief executive, David Hopkinson, refuse to extend his backing to the manager publicly last week, which sparked major concern about the future of Howe beyond this season.
Newcastle Make Eddie Howe Sack Decision
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe looks on
According to a report by The Times on Thursday night, Howe has been given private assurances by the club since those comments by Hopkinson that he is the man they want at the helm for next season.
Howe has been reassured that the comments were not made to undermine his role as manager, after he made it clear behind the scenes that he felt the comments were a show of a lack of support, and he was taken aback by them.
However, Hopkinson has held talks with Howe privately to assure him that he had no intention of creating speculation around his future, or that he would not be supported at boardroom level.
The situation has now been calmed and it's understood that Howe is fully committed to seeing out the remainder of the campaign, before overseeing a rebuild of the squad that he has put together over the last four-and-a-half-years at St James' Park. There is no suggestion that Newcastle are considering a change of manager at this stage.
Has Eddie Howe Taken Newcastle As Far As He Can?
Eddie Howe
It's fair to say that Howe is the best English manager around right now, and the decision to appoint him back in 2021 was absolutely the right one for everything he has done since.
But there is an argument to say that the 48-year-old has now taken the club as far as he can, and a change could be the right thing for all parties. He's won a trophy, the first in 70 years, he's got to the Champions League twice, and he's made the team attractive to watch.
It's a risk that keeping him around for too long could see the team stagnate and all the hard work be undone. But he absolutely deserves the chance to rebuild the team and go again, and the board seemingly have made the right decision at this stage.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe after losing to West Ham United. Related
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