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.
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
