Newcastle United CEO already delivered Eddie Howe & new manager appointment verdict - the signs were there
Eddie Howe is set to leave Newcastle United ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Eddie Howe has become the latest casualty of a difficult summer at Newcastle United.
The Magpies head coach has decided to walk away from his role after almost five years. It follows a disappointing 12th-place finish in the Premier League as well as the high-profile departures of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali.
But Howe’s legacy as Newcastle’s most successful manager of the modern era remains firmly intact, having twice qualified for the Champions League and ended a 70-year domestic trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup last year.
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Last season saw the pressure on Howe and speculation over his future intensify to previously uncharted levels. Two derby defeats to Sunderland, along with a season spent languishing in mid table in the Premier League saw certain supporters turn on the manager while also raising questions of the key decision makers at St James’ Park.
Shortly after the 2-1 derby defeat to Sunderland at St James’ Park back in March, Newcastle chief executive officer David Hopkinson initially cast some doubt over Howe’s future by keeping talk of a change of manager open.
Hopkinson told The Gazette: "I don't have a stance on his future. What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt. We take it seriously. There's nothing within us that thinks 'well, it's just three points and on we go'. It has resonated.
"I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch recently with Eddie and we talked through a multitude of things, including [his future].
"Eddie's our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here and we'll talk about the future when it's time. Right now, we're focused on this season's competition.”
Behind the scenes, Hopkinson was understood to be a supporter of Howe but also open to the idea of a change in manager should it be in the best interests of the club. It was a view shared by Howe, who admitted he would step aside if he felt he could no longer take the club forward.
When asked directly about leaving Howe’s future open, Howe responded: “I would not frame it that way. We are not looking to make a change at the moment. We are not having those conversations. We are still in the midst of the season.
“Right now, we are focused on the seven 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.”
Ultimately, Newcastle’s inconsistent form continued as they ended up missing out on Europe and finishing 12th in the table, the club’s lowest finish since the PIF-led takeover. Frustration on the transfer front and losing several key players, along with the expected departure of captain Bruno Guimaraes has seen Howe decide to call time on his spell at St James’ Park.