Newcastle United's chief executive, Darren Eales, has confirmed the club's strong commitment to retaining Eddie Howe as their manager, despite potential interest from the Football Association (FA).
Following Gareth Southgate's resignation as England manager, Howe, 46, has emerged as a leading candidate for the national team's top job. Southgate, who had been in charge since 2016, stepped down shortly after England's loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, with five months left on his contract.
Howe has been Newcastle's manager since 2021 and signed a long-term contract extension in 2022 after successfully guiding the club away from relegation.
When asked about the possibility of the FA approaching Howe, Eales affirmed, "Yes, absolutely. We're on an exciting journey, and Eddie is the man to lead us. He's exactly the right person for the project at Newcastle United, which is why we're committed to a long-term deal with him. We love him."
Eales acknowledged that if Howe were to consider replacing Southgate, Newcastle would be entitled to compensation due to Howe's long-term contract. However, there is no specific amount set.
Former England and Newcastle striker Alan Shearer praised Howe's performance at St. James' Park, calling it "unbelievable" and expressing confidence that Howe will be approached for the England job. Shearer noted, "It will be up to him to decide if he's interested, but it's hard to turn down your country. Only he can answer that, but I imagine Eddie will be very high on the FA’s list."
England's next match is against the Republic of Ireland on September 7 in the Nations League, and an interim manager will take charge if Southgate's successor has not been appointed by then.
