Newcastle's odds to be relegated have dropped after the news Eddie Howe has left the club.
Eddie Howe's five-year reign at Newcastle United is over.
The 48-year-old, who ended a 70-year wait for major domestic silverware with the 2025 Carabao Cup and took the Magpies into the Champions League on two occasions, has decided to step away from football just weeks before the new season kicks off.
His departure caps a turbulent summer at St James' Park, one that has already seen key players sold and top transfer targets slip away, and it leaves Newcastle needing to appoint a new head coach with the Premier League opener against Liverpool fast approaching.
Unsurprisingly, the bookmakers have already reacted.
Newcastle Premier League Relegation Odds
- Newcastle to be relegated: Best price 12/1 (Various), as short as 17/2 elsewhere.
- Newcastle to finish in the bottom half: 1/1
- Newcastle to finish in the top half: 11/10
- Newcastle top six finish: 17/4
- Newcastle top four finish: 14/1 (out from 9/1 in places)
- Newcastle to win the league: 200/1
(Odds correct at time of publication and subject to change)
Newcastle's relegation price has more than halved inside a matter of months. The market opened at 40/1 for the drop at the end of last season, shortened to 20/1 as the summer wore on, and has now been slashed further to 12/1 - with some firms going as low as 8/1 - following confirmation of Howe's departure.
It's a stark shift for a club that reached the Champions League knockout stages last term, and it underlines just how nervous punters and bookmakers alike are about life after Howe.
Who is the Next Newcastle Manager?
Al Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle is the frontrunner to take over at St James' Park, with talks between the Saudi club and Newcastle already at an advanced stage.
The 38-year-old German has an eye-catching CV for a coach still building his reputation. A serious knee injury forced Jaissle to retire from playing at just 26, but a route back into the game via Ralf Rangnick's RB Leipzig set him on course for management. He won back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles and an Austrian Cup with Red Bull Salzburg, then moved to Saudi Arabia in 2023, where he's since delivered consecutive Asian Champions League titles with Al Ahli - who, like Newcastle, are majority-owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Jaissle's teams are built on high-intensity pressing and quick vertical play once possession is won - a style that would mark a clear shift from Howe's approach, though PIF ownership links to both clubs could smooth the path for a swift appointment.
Why Has Eddie Howe Left Newcastle?
Howe's exit follows a sharp decline in Newcastle's fortunes. A 12th-placed Premier League finish - their lowest since Howe arrived in November 2021 - was compounded by an 8-3 aggregate Champions League last-16 exit to Barcelona, and a run of just five wins from 17 league games from early January onwards.
He'd committed to staying on after crisis talks with a 25-strong PIF delegation earlier in the year, but has since had a change of heart, telling the club he wants to step away from football entirely. His final match in charge was a heavy 4-1 pre-season defeat to Championship side Bristol City.
Newcastle's Summer Transfer Turmoil
The upheaval on the pitch has been matched by turbulence off it. Anthony Gordon has already left for Barcelona in a £69.3m deal, while Sandro Tonali joined Tottenham for a club-record £100m. Newcastle have also missed out on top target Johan Manzambi, who chose Aston Villa instead.
Incomings have been young and unproven by comparison: Bazoumana Toure (£42m, Hoffenheim), Sean Steur (£23m, Ajax) and Ewen Jaouen (£18.5m, Reims) have all arrived, but none are the ready-made squad additions many fans wanted.
Will Bruno Guimaraes Leave Newcastle?
Captain Bruno Guimaraes' future is now firmly in doubt. Arsenal have been strongly linked with the Brazilian all summer, and talks between the two clubs are understood to have progressed in recent days. Howe's exit - and the uncertainty it creates around the club's direction - could accelerate any move away from St James' Park before the transfer window closes.
What Does This Mean for Newcastle's Season?
Newcastle open their Premier League campaign against Liverpool on August 23, live on Sky Sports - just over three weeks after Howe's departure was confirmed. With a new head coach to assimilate, key players sold, and the futures of others still unresolved, Newcastle's odds to struggle near the bottom of the table look set to keep shortening unless there's fast, decisive business between now and the opening weekend.
