INSIDE LOOK: EDDIE HOWE ADMITS SANDRO TONALI "HASN’T REACHED THOSE HEIGHTS" DURING RECENT SLUMP
Sandro Tonali's Newcastle future is in question after a vague interview and Juventus links. Read Eddie Howe’s take on his 2026 form.
Eddie Howe didn’t sugarcoat it—Sandro Tonali just hasn’t looked the same for Newcastle this season.
Newcastle splashed out £55 million to bring Tonali in from AC Milan back in 2023. But thanks to a 10-month betting ban, they barely got to see him in action until the following year. Once he finally got going, things changed fast. Howe shifted Tonali from the No. 8 spot to No. 6, and suddenly everything clicked. Newcastle rattled off nine straight wins between December 2024 and January 2025.
That run set the tone for the rest of the season. Newcastle finally ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy when they lifted the Carabao Cup last March. On top of that, they made it back into the Champions League for the second time in three years.
Tonali worked like a machine and had a cannon for a right foot—just look at his goal against Brentford in that 2-1 win last April. People started talking about him as not just one of the best midfielders in England, but in all of Europe.
This season, though, Tonali’s been all over the place, just like Newcastle. He put in some rough performances, especially away at Manchester United and Burnley over Christmas, and fans definitely noticed. Howe agrees: Tonali hasn’t been himself lately, at least not consistently.
Talking to NewcastleWorld, Howe said, “Yeah, I think that’s the main thing. The standards he set last season were incredible. When he came back, it felt like a new signing and gave us a real boost. He connected well with the others and was effective everywhere on the pitch. This season, for whatever reason, he just hasn’t quite reached those heights. We’re working with him to get that back.
“We’ve seen matches, or stretches within games, where he’s played really well. But that consistency, that’s the thing we’re all focused on—him and the team.”
At the start of the season, Newcastle fans worried that Tonali might leave soon, especially with people thinking his contract ended in 2028. Turns out, he’s actually signed until 2030—he agreed to an extension during his betting ban to show he was committed.
Still, fans aren’t totally reassured, especially after a recent interview where Tonali gave a pretty vague answer about his future. When asked if he’d stay at Newcastle long-term, he said, “That’s a tough question. In football, you take it year by year. I don’t want to say I’ll be here for 10 years and then leave after two or three. I just want to focus on each season. Last summer was tough for us, for Alex Isak too, but that’s football. If another opportunity comes along, you have to think about it. I don’t want to promise I’ll stay for a decade, but right now, I’m happy here. I’m not thinking about moving.”
BRUNO GUIMARãES INSPIRES 3-1 WIN; NEWCASTLE STILL "DREAMING AND BELIEVING" IN EUROPE
After 10 weeks out, Bruno Guimarães inspired Newcastle to victory, as the Magpies chase a Europa Conference League spot.
Bruno Guimaraes opened up about Newcastle United’s new target for their last three games of the 2025/26 season, right after they won 3-1 against Brighton. He looked sharp, helping set up two goals in the first half and getting Newcastle back in the hunt for a European spot. Still, they must win the remaining matches to secure a Europa Conference League spot.
Talking about the locker room vibe before the game, Bruno said spirits were high, and everyone knew how crucial this match was. If Newcastle can beat Nottingham Forest next weekend at the City Ground, they’ll still be dreaming about Europe. That’s the goal. Of course, things could shake up if Crystal Palace win against Bournemouth tomorrow; Newcastle would drop a spot, but the table would open up, and they'd be just four points behind Bournemouth.
After the game, Bruno said, “It felt very good. Before kickoff, we all understood how important today was for us and our European chase. Points really matter now; we’re still dreaming and believing. Brighton's a tough team. We deserved to win. They had plenty of chances. We were better in the first half, but in the second half, they picked up. I’m glad we held onto the three points. We’re looking up. We have to win our next three games to reach Europe.”
Bruno just returned from a ten-week hamstring injury and played his second match in a week, lasting almost the whole game before coming off. Asked about how he’s feeling, he said, “I feel amazing, really good, after ten weeks out. First big injury of my career. I’m not back to my best physical level yet, but I performed well today.”
Newcastle’s medical staff and Howe’s team will need to watch him closely through these last games, especially with the World Cup coming up. The Brazilian FA obviously wants him fit for the tournament in the US.
His comeback has made a big difference. Bruno was the heart of the team against Brighton, showing his quality with 39 touches in 89 minutes and recovering the ball six times, helping Newcastle hold onto their lead amidst heavy pressure in the second half. He got fouled five times, took the heat off his teammates when needed, and now will need rest ahead of next weekend’s trip to Forest, where he’ll face former teammate Elliot Anderson.
This game also marked a milestone for Bruno: his 150th Premier League appearance for Newcastle, sharing that achievement with Dan Burn against the Seagulls.
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS HE EXPECTS TO REMAIN NEWCASTLE MANAGER NEXT SEASON
Eddie Howe remains defiant about his Newcastle future after "challenging" talks with PIF owners regarding the club's 14th-place slump.
Eddie Howe’s not shying away from the pressure. Even with all the talk about his future at St James’ Park, he’s backing himself to stay on as Newcastle United head coach next season.
What a difference a year makes. A season ago, Newcastle were celebrating an EFL Cup win and a fifth-place league finish. Now, they’re down in 14th, just stumbling through 2026. Cup runs? Both were cut short by Manchester City. The Champions League? An 8-3 thrashing on aggregate against Barcelona in the last 16. In the league, it’s gone from bad to worse: nine losses from the last 12 matches, more than any other Premier League side since January.
European dreams? Barely there. Newcastle are seven points back from Bournemouth, sitting in seventh, with only four games left. Champions League qualification is totally out of reach; they’re a whopping 16 points off fifth.
On Thursday, Howe found himself at Matfen Hall for the club’s big annual summit with Newcastle’s Saudi-backed owners and executives. “Challenging conversations” is how he put it.
Fast forward to Friday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Brighton, and Howe didn’t dodge questions about his future or the club’s direction.
When a reporter asked if he’ll still be the manager next season, Howe shot straight: “Yeah, I presented; we discussed. The questions were tough, but that’s normal. Every year, no matter where we are in the league, there are challenging questions about decisions, about what led us here. You just explain your thinking. Sure, the questions are harder this year with where we are, but the process was the same as always.”
He’s not pretending things haven’t been tough, but he says he’s as driven as ever. “I don’t need to search for clarity about my future. I’m here, I’m working, I’m committed. The club has to feel we’re on the right path, that the feeling inside is positive, and that we fight on all fronts.”
And he gets it: the reality of football management never goes away. “You can say whatever you want, but it’s what the team does on the pitch that matters. I know that. I don’t need reinvigorating; I feel it already. The motivation's there.”
Howe admits that tough runs make you take a good, hard look at everything. “I’m learning more right now than I have in a long time. Sometimes, the hardest moments are when you improve the most.”
Does he expect to be here next season? “I have to keep that confidence. If you lose the long-term vision, what’s the point? But we need to win games. There’s unity at the club, but let's be honest, my job depends on results.”
Howe is also convinced the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Newcastle's 85% owners, aren’t losing faith in the mission.
“The ambition hasn’t changed,” he said. “The goal’s still the same: get to the top of the Premier League and win trophies regularly. As long as the PIF is the owner, I don’t see that changing. They’re very ambitious for the club. A lot of things, infrastructure-wise, take time. You can’t just snap your fingers. Everything’s connected to income, and rushing things risks getting it wrong.”
For now, Howe’s staring down the more immediate problem: snapping a four-game winless streak as Newcastle face Brighton this weekend. And he’s just given the latest on top scorer Anthony Gordon’s fitness because that’s what really matters on Saturday.
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