Eddie Howe’s honest talk with reporters just hours before he left Newcastle
Eddie Howe shared some honest thoughts just hours before it was confirmed he’d be leaving Newcastle United.
Howe became Newcastle’s head coach in 2021 and has spent five years with the team. During that time, he helped them qualify for the Champions League twice and won the 2025 Carabao Cup.
The club decided to part ways with Howe shortly after Newcastle lost 4-1 in a pre-season friendly against Bristol City on July 29.
After the match at Ashton Gate, Howe mentioned that he didn’t have much control over transfers and preferred to leave those decisions to his coaching staff while traveling back from Bristol.
Newcastle has seen several key players leave recently — Alexander Isak joined Liverpool in 2025, and this summer, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon moved to Spurs and Barcelona.
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Captain Bruno Guimaraes has been linked with a move to Premier League champions Arsenal, and Howe acknowledged that the Brazilian midfielder is likely to leave after the Bristol City game.
When asked about Bruno’s future, Howe gave a straight answer: “What will be, will be. We can’t control everything. We just have to look after Bruno when he’s here and make sure he trains well, which I’m sure he will. He always makes a difference.”
In another interview, Howe added, “Assurances? You can’t really push too hard for those. Bruno has always been committed here. His training and performances have been excellent. Every time he’s played, the fans have been behind him. I hope that continues.
“We want to hold on to our best players because they’re so valuable, and it’s hard to find and develop talent like that. Bruno is definitely one of those top players.”
Howe also said the transfer talk was a distracting and unhealthy topic for the team during pre-season.
Looking ahead, the 48-year-old hinted there might be some changes coming but stayed hopeful: “I always try to stay positive. I believe each season brings great opportunities, and there’s a real excitement about what’s next. Nothing makes me think differently this year.”
Howe is expected to be replaced by Matthias Jaissle, currently coach of Al Ahli. The 38-year-old German led his Saudi club to two AFC Champions League Elite titles in 2025 and 2026.
Jaissle has also coached FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg. The deal should be smooth since Al Ahli and Newcastle are both owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Newcastle’s new Premier League season kicks off at home against Liverpool on August 23.