After five years at the helm, it was confirmed on Thursday that Eddie Howe has left Newcastle United, with lack of player investment a leading reason for his departure.
Reports throughout pre-season suggested Howe was in desperate need of reinforcements ahead of the new Premier League season, but instead, the Magpies opted to offload key players Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.
Bruno Guimaraes is also set to leave the club, with strong ongoing interest from Premier League champions Arsenal.
Lack of assurances surrounding player exodus
Howe recently stated he could not offer any “assurances” regarding players staying or leaving the club, with Guimaraes the most notable pending exit.
“Assurances – I don’t think you can push too hard for those,” Howe told Sky Sports.
“I think I’ve said many times you want players that are committed.
“Bruno’s always been committed here. His training performances, his game performances, have been outstanding.
“Every time he’s worn the shirt, he’s played with the fans by his side. I’d love to see that continue,” Howe continued.
Keeping your best players
“I think we want to keep all of our best players,” Howe added.
“They’re so valuable, and as I said numerous times, there aren’t many of them, and to get them and develop them is so difficult.
“So when you have them, you want to keep them. And Bruno’s very much in that category; he’s an outstanding player.”
Point of no return
Evidently, Guimaraes following in the footsteps of Tonali and Gordon was the final nail in the coffin for Howe, who will have felt the lack of backing from the board throughout his time on Tyneside.
Howe helped guide the club to their first domestic trophy in 70 years – the Carabao Cup in 2025, as well as two Champions League qualifications.
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