Newcastle activate release clause for top player shortly after Eddie Howe leaves
Eddie Howe’s surprising departure from Newcastle United was confirmed on Thursday morning. Just hours after he left, it seems the club might be about to welcome a new signing.
Howe had told Newcastle’s leaders weeks ago that he wanted to leave but agreed to stay until they found someone to replace him. That replacement could be Matthias Jaissle, the current Al Ahli boss, who is now the unexpected favorite to take over at St James’ Park.
Howe decided to move on after nearly five years at the club, mainly because many of his best players have been leaving. First, Anthony Gordon left for Barcelona in a £70 million deal, which upset Howe. Then Sandro Tonali’s £92.5 million move to Tottenham, a Premier League rival, made things harder.
It looks like more key players could leave soon. Captain Bruno Guimaraes wants to move to Arsenal, and Manchester United are trying to sign Lewis Hall while Newcastle are going through these changes.
This summer has been tough for Newcastle, losing top players and their most successful recent manager.
Howe gave the Magpies amazing success, ending their 70-year wait for a trophy by winning the Carabao Cup in 2025 and qualifying for the Champions League twice. Jaissle will have a big challenge if he steps into Howe’s shoes, and talks are well underway.
Newcastle have already signed four young players this summer—Bazoumana Traore, Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur, and Ewen Jaouen—all 20 or younger. These signings show the club is planning for the future, and now they look ready to add some experienced talent too.
According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle have triggered the £24.5 million release clause for Lukas Hornicek from Portuguese club Braga. Hornicek, just 24, is expected to become their first-choice goalkeeper next season. This news will come as a big relief after the club watched him for more than a year.
Hornicek has played 14 Europa League games and helped Braga reach the semi-finals last season. He has 88 appearances for Braga and is seen as the long-term solution for Newcastle’s goalkeeping needs.
This summer, Newcastle also signed France U21 goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen from Reims for £18.5 million. With two young goalkeepers arriving, Nick Pope might be on his way out. Pope has been a key player since joining four years ago, helping win the Carabao Cup and Champions League spots, but his form dropped last season. With a contract running until 2027, Newcastle are open to offers for the 34-year-old.