Newcastle football club, recently acquired by the Saudi Arabia regime, has welcomed Eddie Howe as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract at St James’ Park.
The 43-year-old British manager has been without a job since parting ways with Bournemouth after their relegation from the Premier League two seasons ago. On Monday, November 8, Howe’s appointment was confirmed in a post on social media.
“It is a great honor to become head coach of a club with the stature and history of Newcastle United. It is a very proud day for me and my family,” Howe expressed.
“This is a wonderful opportunity, but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players,” he added.
“I would like to thank the club’s owners for this opportunity and thank the club’s supporters for the incredible welcome they have already given me. I am very excited to begin our journey together,” Howe expressed his gratitude.
Following the Saudi Arabia-backed consortium’s acquisition of Newcastle for a staggering £305 million last month, Howe will now lead the club with the world’s richest owners, the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, reportedly worth more than £700 billion.
Originally, Unai Emery was the clear favorite for the job, but he declined the offer and opted to remain at Villarreal.
Club director Amanda Staveley stated, “We have been incredibly impressed by Eddie through what has been a rigorous recruitment process. As well as his obvious achievements with AFC Bournemouth, where he had a transformational impact, he is a passionate and dynamic coach who has clear ideas about taking this team and club forward.”
“He is a great fit for what we are trying to build here. We are delighted to welcome Eddie and his staff to St. James’ Park and very much look forward to working together towards our collective ambitions,” Staveley added.
Newcastle, currently placed 19th in the league and trailing five points from safety, has struggled to secure a win this season.
