Rabat – Head Coach Eddie Howe is leaving Newcastle following a 4-1 defeat in a friendly match against Bristol City, and Matthias Jaissle is the top candidate to replace him.
Following the defeat at Ashton Gate, Howe cast further doubt over his future, acknowledging that events surrounding Bruno Guimarães and Arsenal’s interest were largely beyond his control.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Howe said. “Things are going on that we can’t control. All we can do is make sure Bruno is ready when he comes back, that he trains well, which I’m sure he will, and keeps making the difference he always has.”
According to Sky Sports, Howe had been weighing up his future for several weeks before telling his coaching staff, following the Bristol match, that he would be stepping down.
Eddie joined Newcastle in 2021, leading the club to an 11th-place finish in his first season. The following year, he guided the Magpies into the top four, securing Champions League football for the first time since 2002.
He followed that up with another strong campaign in 2024-25, as Newcastle finished fifth, qualifying for the Champions League again. The club also ended its long wait for a major trophy by beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
However, last season was a big setback. Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League after a difficult campaign and were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 after a heavy 7-1 defeat to Barcelona.
Al Ahli coach Matthias Jaissle is highly expected to take charge of Newcastle, succeeding Howe, who spent five years in charge of the team.
The 38-year-old German was in charge of Red Bull Salzburg from 2021 to 2023 before joining Saudi club Al-Ahli. He won two Austrian league titles with Salzburg and has since led Al-Ahli to back-to-back AFC Champions League titles.
