Eddie Howe’s seven-game Newcastle test begins after future is cast into doubt by club chief
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Newcastle United chief executive David Hopkinson has refused to give long-term assurances over the future of head coach Eddie Howe following a two-hour meeting between the pair.
Howe’s future at St James’ Park has been subject to speculation in recent weeks, with the Magpies experiencing an inconsistent Premier League campaign.
After finishing fifth in the top flight last season and securing Champions League qualification, Newcastle currently sit down in 12th place in the table after 31 games this term, 12 points behind Aston Villa in fourth and six points adrift of Brentford in seventh.
The Magpies suffered a painful 2-1 home defeat to bitter rivals Sunderland in their most recent match prior to the international break, with Brian Brobbey’s 90th-minute winner for the Black Cats condemning Howe’s side to their 13th league loss of the season.
Newcastle suffered a humbling 7-2 second-leg defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League last 16 just a few days earlier, while they were knocked out of both the EFL Cup and FA Cup by Manchester City earlier this year.
Howe signed a ‘multi-year’ contract extension at St James’ Park in the summer of 2024 and Hopkinson has said that Newcastle are ‘not looking to make a change at the moment’.
Howe’s long-term Newcastle future uncertain as club chief delivers update
However, Hopkinson was unable to give a clear answer on whether Howe, who has previously been linked with Manchester United, will remain at the club beyond the end of the season.
“I don’t have a stance on his future,” said Hopkinson. “What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt. We take it seriously. There’s nothing within us that thinks ‘well, it’s just three points and on we go’. It has resonated.
“I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch recently with Eddie [Howe] and we talked through a multitude of things, including that.
“Eddie’s our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here and we’ll talk about the future when it’s time. Right now, we’re focused on this season’s competition.”
Pressed on whether he was leaving Howe’s future open, the Magpies chief added: “I would not frame it that way. We are not looking to make a change at the moment. We are not having those conversations.
“We are still in the midst of the season. Right now we are focused on the seven matches we have remaining and not distracting ourselves with speculation about what we may or may not do in the summer.
“Right now, all of us have only got so much bandwidth and we are focused on this season and finishing strongly.”
Hopkinson was speaking to the media following the club’s announcement of record revenues of £335.3m for the year ending June 2025.
Newcastle’s end-of-season form, PL finish could decide Howe’s future
With Newcastle out of all domestic and continental cup competitions, their focus is now on their remaining seven Premier League fixtures, and results across the next couple of months could ultimately decide Howe’s future.
Four of the Magpies’ remaining seven league games are against teams currently below them in the table, including their next match away against Crystal Palace on April 12.
A home encounter with Howe’s former side Bournemouth follows, before they conclude April with a tricky trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal, who may need to win at the Emirates to boost their title hopes.
Newcastle begin May with a home clash against a resurgent Brighton & Hove Albion outfit, before taking on relegation-threatened duo Nottingham Forest and West Ham United in back-to-back fixtures, facing the former away and the latter at St James’ Park.
The Magpies will then conclude the campaign away against fellow European hopefuls Fulham, and it remains to be seen whether this fixture will be pivotal for both clubs in securing a top-seven finish.
Written by
Oliver Thomas