Newcastle United fans have likely seen this coming for a while, but Eddie Howe is now a prime candidate for the England manager’s position. Over the years, the role of England manager has been labeled the ‘impossible job,’ with fans enduring decades of heartbreak and disappointment. Following another tournament filled with regret, the anticipation for a new leader grows stronger.
Newcastle United’s ambition to sign Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry has hit a roadblock this summer. After a challenging season that saw the Magpies finish seventh in the Premier League, missing out on European football for the 2024/25 campaign, manager Eddie Howe is keen to bolster his squad with quality reinforcements.
In a strategic yet reluctant decision, Newcastle United sold midfielder Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest last month. This move was driven by the club’s need to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. To avoid a potential points deduction, Newcastle had to raise significant funds, resulting in the sale of Anderson and another hot prospect, Yankuba Minteh, who moved to Brighton.
Newcastle United has kicked off their pre-season training at Adidas’ global headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The squad includes all fit non-international players and several promising youngsters, aiming to hone their skills ahead of the upcoming season.
The recent discussion about who might replace Gareth Southgate as England’s national team manager took an interesting turn when Alan Shearer firmly shut down Gary Lineker’s suggestions. Following England’s second consecutive failure to win the European Championship, attention has shifted to Southgate’s future. The 53-year-old manager, whose contract expires in December, has several potential successors, including Graham Potter, Lee Carsley, and Mauricio Pochettino.
This morning, Eddie Howe and a substantial part of his Newcastle United squad departed for Germany, leveraging their Adidas partnership to access top-tier training facilities for a week. As Howe puts the players through rigorous preseason drills, the club’s new sporting director, Paul Mitchell, is set to dive into recruitment efforts.
In the aftermath of England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, Newcastle United is gearing up for their pre-season preparations in Germany. While Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon process their disappointment from Berlin, their teammates are ready for a different kind of challenge.
Last season, Eddie Howe often found himself relying on Newcastle United’s Under-21 and Academy players due to a lack of depth on the bench. While it’s great to see youngsters get opportunities, the team’s game-changing options were alarmingly thin at critical moments.
Having made just one appearance and played five minutes at Euro 2024, Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon will no doubt feel he had more to give. Throughout England’s campaign at the Euros, it often felt as if Gareth Southgate’s attack lacked balance and pace at times. For the majority of the tournament, England switched between Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden on the left – two exceptional footballers. However, neither are at their best out wide and played in the role solely because they were too good to be on the bench.
Newcastle United’s transfer window has begun in an unconventional manner. Despite having signed three players so far, the progress feels somewhat underwhelming. The acquisition of Lloyd Kelly is undoubtedly a positive step, but the other two signings, Odysseas Vlachodimos and John Ruddy, seem more like backup options for Nick Pope rather than significant first-team enhancements.