Eddie Howe’s future as Newcastle manager has once again been called into question by the club’s chief executive David Hopkinson in the midst of a disappointing season.
The Magpies have seen their hopes of success spectacularly unravel in just six weeks.
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Howe’s side saw their Carabao Cup defence ended by Manchester City last month before Pep Guardiola’s side later dashed all hopes of an FA Cup round.
Despite putting in a good performance in the Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, Newcast’s disastrous collapse at Cano Nou ensured the Catalans won comfortably 8-3 on aggregate.
And the disappointment quickly turned to dissatisfaction when the Magpies were beaten 2-1 at home to bitter rivals Sunderland four days later.
An air of discontent has slowly enveloped St. James’ Park as the club increasingly looks set to miss out on European football next season, and fans are now questioning the club’s direction.
Regardless of how the rest of the season unfolds, Newcastle are facing a major summer upheaval, and Howe may not be immune to the impending upheaval.
Talks held
Hopkinson revealed that he held talks with Howe after the derby loss to Sunderland, and was far from convincing when asked about the 48-year-old’s future.
“I don’t have a position on his [Howe’s] future,” Hopkinson said during a media briefing.
“What I can tell you is that the derby loss stung. We take it seriously. There’s nothing in us thinking, ‘Well, it’s only three points, and we’ll move on.’ It has made an impression.
“I recently had a couple of hours of a one-on-one lunch with Eddie, and we talked about a number of things, including that.
“Eddie is our manager and I expect us to have a good end to the season and we will talk about the future when the time is right.”
When asked if the club were considering alternatives to Howe, Hopkinson replied: “We’re not looking to make a change at the moment.
“We don’t have those conversations. Right now, we’re focused on the seven games we have left and don’t distract ourselves with speculation about what we may or may not do this summer.”
Hopkinson’s statements were not as clear as his recent interview with talkSPORT in which he gave his “total support” to the Newcastle boss.
“Howe will be furious”
Reacting to the news, talkSPORT’s Andy Townsend believes that the statements would have infuriated Howe, who has taken the Magpies to greater heights since arriving in 2021.
“The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear that is that I bet Eddie is furious about it, I bet he’s boiling,” said the former Chelsea and Aston Villa midfielder.
“I don’t think he would have been too happy with all that.
“Eddie Howe, he’s won them the League Cup, he’s given them a couple of Champions League rounds.
“I watched the two Barcelona games, the first at St. James’ Park and the one at Barca, they were there until it exploded, and they conceded some really bad goals.
“They then come back and get beaten in the derby. Not good.
“But that’s when the CEO comes out and puts his arm around you and gives you a little hug and says, ‘We have to rise again, we have to be better’.
“Those quotes are strange… be careful what you wish for, he’s a good manager and knows what he’s doing, he’s given those Newcastle fans some great days lately.
“He will be a little upset by these comments.”
Meanwhile, Hopkinson did not rule out further high-profile player departures in the wake of Alexander Isak’s British record transfer to Liverpool last summer.
Speculation has been intense about the future of star players such as Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães, Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon.
Tonali has been linked with a return to Italy as well as to Manchester United and City, while Guimarães is on the Red Devils’ wish list.
As for Gordon, both Arsenal and Liverpool admire the winger, with Livramento on the Citizens’ radar.
And speculation has increased tenfold in recent weeks after Newcast’s mistakes in the Champions League and national cups.
While Champions League qualification isn’t mathematically out of reach through the Premier League, a lack of return to competition could make some of the older players plan a farewell.
“We’re thinking about what players may or may not want to do this summer,” Hopkinson said.
“However, if an Isak-like scenario were to occur again, any player under contract would leave on our terms and we would maximise the opportunity it could represent for the club.
“Going forward, our strategy is to buy well and sell well.”
When asked if that meant getting rid of one of their star names, he added, “We’re not ready to answer that.
“We have to see what situation we are in and what opportunities present themselves in the market.
“What I want to say is that we intend to be disciplined, active, thoughtful and as proactive as we possibly can, but what will be the result?
“I couldn’t begin to tell you.”
Elsewhere, Newcast’s financial statements for the years ended June 2025 showed a £15 million increase in revenue to £335.3 million, with profit after tax rising to £34.7 million.
The Magpies have a position of strength but still lag behind the established giants of the Premier League in terms of financial strength.
But that hasn’t deterred Hopkinson from repeating his demand that Newcastle could become one of the world’s biggest clubs by 2030.
“They have a head start on us, and we have to catch up with these guys,” he added.
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