Newcastle appoints German coach Matthias Jaissle on four-year deal after Howe exit

Appointment

Newcastle United appointed 38-year-old German coach Matthias Jaissle as head coach on August 5, 2026, following the departure of Eddie Howe after nearly five years in charge. Jaissle signed a four-year contract running until June 30, 2030, making him the first German head coach in the club's history and the first foreign coach since Rafael Benítez in 2019. Newcastle reportedly paid around €11 million in compensation to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli to secure his release, as his contract there ran until 2027. Jaissle immediately joined the squad at their pre-season training camp in La Manga, Spain, where all documentation was finalized. He is the 10th German head coach in Premier League history and the fourth currently active, alongside Daniel Farke at Leeds United, Fabian Hürzeler at Brighton, and Marco Rose at Bournemouth.

Jaissle's career path

Born in Nürtingen, Jaissle was a highly regarded modern centre-back whose playing career was cut short by knee and Achilles injuries in his mid-20s. He played for Thomas Tuchel as a teenager in Stuttgart's youth teams and for Ralf Rangnick as a senior professional at Hoffenheim. After retirement, Rangnick absorbed him into the Red Bull network, where he undertook a coaching internship and served as Sebastian Hoeness' assistant with Leipzig's U16 team. Leipzig employees from across the coaching staff and other departments remember a "humble", "focused" and "hard-working" person who "wanted to absorb everything in the environment". He later managed Red Bull Salzburg, guiding them to the Champions League knockout stage for the first time in February 2022 and winning consecutive Austrian Bundesliga titles and the OFB Cup. He moved to Al-Ahli in 2023, where he won back-to-back AFC Champions League titles in 2025 and 2026.

What Jaissle said

The German described his appointment as an honor.

It is an incredible honor to become head coach of Newcastle United. This is one of the biggest clubs in European football with a unique history, identity and fanbase, and I am looking forward to experiencing this passion and connection firsthand.

In a 2022 interview with Der Standard, when asked what the player Jaissle would have made of the coach Jaissle, he reflected on his philosophy.

I think they would have got along quite well. As a coach, I always try to put myself in the players' shoes and to understand what's important to them. And I try to maintain a clear approach both on and off the pitch. With me, you quickly know where you stand. Communication is really important to all my dealings with the lads. That's what I appreciated as a player, too.

Tactically, Jaissle wants quick, ambitious use of the ball, a high press and maximum physical commitment in every phase. In attacking positions, he wants playmakers who use instinct and imagination rather than relying on pre-designed, mechanical phases.

The task at Newcastle

Jaissle inherits a squad in transition. Newcastle finished 12th in the 2025/26 Premier League season, having sold top scorer Alexander Isak the previous year. This summer, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have already departed, and captain Bruno Guimaraes has been linked with a possible exit. Jaissle will work with German internationals Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw, who are already at the club. Howe's tenure included two Champions League qualifications and the 2025 English League Cup, ending the club's 70-year wait for a domestic trophy. The pre-season camp concludes on Saturday, August 8, with a friendly against Valencia at Mestalla Stadium. Newcastle opens its Premier League campaign on Sunday, August 23, at home against Liverpool.