Eddie Howe is leaving Newcastle United after 231 games in charge, bringing to an end a tenure that started in November 2021 and delivered the club’s first major trophy in nearly seven decades.
His exit follows a 4-1 pre-season defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Wednesday. After the game, Howe gave a telling response when asked about his optimism for the season ahead. “There has been a lot of change at the football club and potentially more to come,” he said, according to a report by The Guardian.
Howe was appointed to replace Steve Bruce when Newcastle’s Saudi-led takeover was still fresh. He stabilised the club quickly, guiding them to fourth place in the Premier League in 2022-23 and a return to Champions League football for the first time in decades. In January 2023, he led them to Carabao Cup glory, their first major silverware since 1955.
Last season, however, the club regressed sharply. Newcastle finished 12th in the Premier League, down from fifth the campaign before, winning just five of their final 17 league games. The drop came despite continued investment from the club’s Saudi owners.
The squad has since lost two prominent players. Sandro Tonali has joined Tottenham, and Anthony Gordon has moved to Barcelona. Questions also hang over the future of club captain Bruno Guimaraes.
Newcastle are due to travel to south-east Spain this week for pre-season fixtures, including a Trofeu Taronja match against Valencia on Saturday, August 8.
