Eddie Howe’s name will always carry weight on Tyneside. For many Newcastle United supporters, he has already set a new standard for what a modern manager should look like at St. James’ Park.
Yet football moves quickly, and the club now finds itself in a difficult moment that has sparked conversations few thought would ever happen.
Newcastle are struggling for rhythm, losing the sharp, aggressive style that carried them to the Champions League and helped deliver the Carabao Cup after that emotional win over Liverpool at Wembley.
Their cup form remains encouraging, but that cannot hide their disappointing Premier League position. Sitting in 14th place, and coming off three successive league defeats after a run of goalless draws on the road, the mood around the club has darkened.
Supporters are frustrated, and for the first time, there is chatter about what might come next if the situation does not improve. It seems unthinkable, but Howe’s future has entered the conversation.
Inside the club, however, there has been no rush to panic. PIF have chosen to remain calm, trusting that Howe will find a way through the slump. But patience is not limitless.
Newcastle’s away form has collapsed, and the overall dip in performances suggests something deeper than the injury problems that disrupted the 2023/24 season. This time, the issues feel structural, and the team appears in need of a complete reset.
Howe is protected by the work he has already done and the long-term contract he signed in 2022, which may have been quietly extended since. Yet no manager is beyond replacement.
If PIF and technical director Ross Wilson come to believe that Howe has reached the end of his cycle, they will explore new possibilities. One of those options could be a manager currently available and considered one of the most fascinating names in world football: Xavi.
Reports from England suggest that Newcastle have been evaluating potential successors if their form continues to fall. The Mirror recently spotlighted Xavi as one of the standout choices.
The former Barcelona coach has been out of work since leaving Camp Nou at the end of the 2023/24 season. According to Fabrizio Romano, Xavi was even interested in the Manchester United job had it become available, and the Spaniard has openly stated that he would love to work in the Premier League.
Xavi’s coaching style is rooted in fluid passing football, high possession, and intelligent movement very similar to the DNA of Barcelona. Players like Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães would likely flourish in such a controlled, purposeful system. But the player who could see the biggest revival under Xavi is Anthony Gordon.
Gordon has struggled badly this season. Once the star of Newcastle’s 2023/24 campaign, where he produced 21 goal contributions and earned the club’s Player of the Year award, he now looks like a shadow of that attacker.
His confidence seems low, his decision-making has dipped, and journalist Adam Clery described him as “all over the place” in recent weeks.
A coach like Xavi could bring structure, clarity, and confidence back into Gordon’s game. With a midfield built to dominate possession, Gordon would have more freedom and better service in his preferred left-wing channel.
His pace, energy, and direct running make him ideal for a system that prioritizes quick combinations and territorial control.
The contrast between Gordon’s numbers now and during his breakout season illustrates just how far he has declined.
Anthony Gordon – Premier League Comparison
| Stats (per 90) | 2023/24 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|
| Goals scored | 0.34 | 0.00 |
| Assists | 0.31 | 0.00 |
| Shots taken | 2.49 | 2.75 |
| Touches | 44.35 | 45.00 |
| Pass completion (%) | 76.1 | 74.7 |
| Crosses | 3.46 | 2.75 |
| Shot-creating actions | 4.45 | 3.34 |
| Progressive passes | 3.15 | 3.14 |
| Progressive carries | 4.30 | 4.13 |
| Successful take-ons | 1.68 | 1.97 |
| Ball recoveries | 3.89 | 3.54 |
| Tackles + interceptions | 1.93 | 0.98 |
Injuries and his early-season red card against Liverpool certainly did not help him, but elite players must rise above difficult spells. For someone who sees himself among Europe’s best young wingers, a season without a single league contribution is simply not acceptable.
Xavi’s arrival could offer Gordon the reset he desperately needs. And for Newcastle, appointing a manager of his calibre would bring fresh energy, modern ideas, and global appeal.
This is a coach who won La Liga in his first season at Barcelona and was once described by Joan Laporta as “the best manager in the world.”
Howe recently celebrated four years in the Newcastle hot seat, and many such as journalist Andy Sixsmith believe he should be remembered as one of the greatest managers in the club’s history. That opinion remains widely shared across Tyneside.
But football sentiment is fragile. If results continue to go backwards, and if the idea of appointing a visionary coach like Xavi gains momentum, the conversation may shift.
Howe has given the city some of its proudest modern moments. Yet every era eventually reaches a turning point. Whether that moment has arrived is now a question Newcastle United will soon have to face.
