Eddie Howe would have a ‘decision to make’ if Gareth Southgate goes and FA make approach, with Newcastle boss loving life on Tyneside but ambitious to manage England one day
- Newcastle manager likely to be the FA’s first choice for managerial role
- Howe’s buyout fee for Tyneside has reportedly been reduced for this season
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: Will Gareth Southgate stay for the World Cup?
Eddie Howe would have to ‘make a decision’ if Newcastle were to allow England to talk to him.
The 46-year-old is likely to become the English Football Association’s first choice if Gareth Southgate leaves after Sunday’s defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024.
We can reveal that Howe’s contract had a buyout clause of around £8m last season, but with the team no longer playing in the Champions League, that figure has been reduced to at least £5m.
Newcastle are prepared for an approach from the FA if Southgate leaves, but Howe is said to be relaxed about the situation. There has been no contact with the FA.
Howe is concentrating on Newcastle and preparing for the new Premier League season. He is currently on a training camp in Germany with the squad and will fly to Japan later this month for another tour.
Eddie Howe’s transfer fee at Newcastle has been reduced and manager is said to be ‘relaxed’
Gareth Southgate’s role is uncertain after defeat to Spain in the 2024 European Championship final
He is unlikely to immediately reject the idea of coaching England if asked this summer, but he is also not pushing to leave the club he is immensely proud to have managed.
Howe’s passion is to be on the grass and coach on a daily basis, something that international management would deny him. His wife and three sons have moved to Newcastle from the south coast and the family are happy and settled on Tyneside. He has built up an incredibly strong bond with supporters and the city, and is focused on continuing the good job he started at St James’ Park.
However, if there is an FA approach, we understand that he will have to make a decision, given his ambition to one day manage his country. It may be that Howe feels the timing is not right.
But after a turbulent start to the summer at Newcastle, which included a mad dash to meet PSR requirements and the sudden departures of allies Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, as well as the arrival of sporting director Paul Mitchell – a club appointment – it is unclear what impact this has had on the head coach.