Newcastle players headed to a preseason training camp in Spain on Friday amid uncertainty over their coach less than a month before the start of the Premier League season.
Sources told ESPN on Thursday that Eddie Howe was set to leave the job, and multiple reports indicated he would be replaced by Matthias Jaissle. Newcastle had yet to confirm any changes on Friday.
Reports said sporting director Ross Wilson would oversee coaching duties in the interim.
Newcastle’s training camp in Spain concludes Aug. 8 with a friendly match against Valencia at Mestalla Stadium.
The Magpies open their Premier League season on Sunday, Aug. 23 at home against Liverpool.
Howe had been in charge of Newcastle for nearly five years and during that time ended the Saudi-backed club’s decades-long wait for silverware.
Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have left during this transfer window and there is speculation captain Bruno Guimarães could follow.
Last year, Newcastle let top scorer Alexander Isak go and finished 12th, missing out on Champions League qualification.
Howe twice led Newcastle to Champions League qualification and won the Carabao Cup in 2025 to end the club’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy.
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Jaissle, 38, has led Saudi club Al Ahli to back-to-back Asian Champions League Elite titles. Jaissle joined the Saudi club in 2023 after leading Salzburg to consecutive Austrian league titles.
Jaissle had signed a two-year contract extension last September with Al Ahli, where he’s coached former Premier League stars Ivan Toney and Riyad Mahrez.
The German coach was with Al Ahli at its Portugal training camp this week.
Neither Newcastle or Al Ahli have responded to a request to comment.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
