NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — 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.
Eddie Howe was expected to leave the job and would be replaced by Matthias Jaissle, according to multiple media reports in Britain. Newcastle had yet to confirm any changes 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 Guimaraes could follow.
Last year, Newcastle sold top scorer Alexander Isak and finished 12th, missing out on Champions League qualification.
Howe twice led Newcastle to Champions League qualification and won the English League Cup in 2025 to end the club’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy.
Who is Matthias Jaissle?
The 38-year-old German 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 young coach was with Al-Ahli at its Portugal training camp this week.
Neither Newcastle or Al-Ahli have responded to a request to comment.
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