Howe’s position as Magpies head coach has been the subject of increased speculation in the last few weeks, with Newcastle’s slide down the Premier League table having led to increased questions over the 48-year-old’s job security.
Those questions became even more pointed when Newcastle’s CEO, David Hopkinson, failed to give Howe his unequivocal backing in an interview earlier this month, and were fuelled further when the Magpies slipped to 14th position in the table in the wake of Sunday’s bitterly-disappointing 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Newcastle’s intention, which is shared by Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson, is to assess all elements of the footballing side of the business at the end of the current campaign, which now looks likely to end without the Magpies having secured European qualification for next term.
Discussions over Howe’s future will inevitably form a key part of the wider debrief, with the former Bournemouth boss potentially set for his worst Newcastle finish since being appointed as Steve Bruce’s successor in 2021.
Howe has consistently stated that he wants to remain in position and help lead what now looks like being a major summer rebuild, and Wilson is understood to remain a strong supporter of the current head coach.
The Saudi Arabian PIF, led by Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan, will clearly have a major say in what happens next, with Iraola’s availability having added an unexpected new element to the mix.
The Spaniard’s departure from Bournemouth at the end of the season was announced yesterday, with Iraola having turned down the offer of an extended contract at the Vitality Stadium.
Iraola’s achievements with the Cherries have established him as one of the most highly-rated coaches in Europe, and he is set to be inundated with offers for future employment.
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Sources on the south coast insist Iraola has not got anything lined up despite his departure from Bournemouth now being public, but Manchester United are looking for a new manager as they weigh up the pros and cons of sticking with current caretaker Michael Carrick and both Liverpool and Chelsea could also be on the hunt for a new boss this summer, with Arne Slot and Liam Rosenior coming under huge pressure as their teams continue to underperform.
There is also a chance that Atletico Madrid could opt to move on from Diego Simeone this summer, with the continental media already speculating that Iraola could be in the frame for a move to the Spanish capital.
The 43-year-old would undoubtedly tick many of Newcastle’s boxes if they opted to move on from Howe. Young, ambitious and tactically innovative, Iraola’s sides play the kind of aggressive, front-foot, high-pressing football Howe has made his trademark at St James’ Park. As a result, there would not be a need to completely overhaul the current squad if he was appointed on Tyneside.
Iraola would also potentially be more open to the kind of overseas, development-style signings that Newcastle are looking to pivot towards, but despite the Spaniard’s odds to become the next Magpies boss having crashed in the last 24 hours to the point where Newcastle are now strong favourites to be his next home, sources on Tyneside insist there is no intention to move away from the current plan.
The intention remains for Howe to remain in place at least until the end of the season, at which point an all-encompassing review will occur, with the risk of potentially missing out on Iraola if a decision is delayed not a factor in Newcastle’s thinking.
“We are not looking to make a change at the moment,” said Hopkinson, when speaking publicly a fortnight ago. “We are not having those conversations. We are still in the midst of the season.
“Right now, we are focused on the matches we have remaining and not distracting ourselves with speculation about what we may or may not do in the summer. Right now, all of us have only got so much bandwidth and we are focused on this season and finishing strongly.”
Ironically, Newcastle’s next game pits them against Iraola’s Bournemouth, with questions over the future of both of the bosses on the touchline at St James’ Park set to overshadow whatever is happening on the pitch on Saturday afternoon.
That said, given the boos that accompanied the final whistle at Selhurst Park at the weekend, Howe can ill afford to preside over another defeat with the mood of the Newcastle fanbase set to play an important role in future considerations.