NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Newcastle confirmed the hiring of 38-year-old Matthias Jaissle as coach Wednesday to replace Eddie Howe, who stepped down after nearly five years in charge.
The German coach will immediately take charge of the Magpies in Spain at their preseason training camp, which concludes Saturday with a friendly match against Valencia at Mestalla Stadium.
The Premier League club did not specify the length of Jaissle’s contract.
Jaissle led Saudi club Al-Ahli to back-to-back Asian Champions League Elite titles. He joined Al-Ahli in 2023 after leading Salzburg to consecutive Austrian league titles.
Newcastle opens its Premier League season on Sunday, Aug. 23 at home against Liverpool.
Howe confirmed on Friday that he stepped down. He 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.
But star players 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.
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