Newcastle United are reportedly planning to replace miracle worker Eddie Howe with three-time Premier League winner Jose Mourinho amid the Portuguese manager’s contract standoff with AS Roma.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho has surprisingly emerged as a candidate to replace Eddie Howe at Newcastle United should the ambitious Saudi owners decide to part company with the Englishman in the summer of 2024.
Eddie Howe at Newcastle United: The Story So Far
Eddie Howe has earned a lot of plaudits over the past couple of seasons after he was chosen by PIF to lead Newcastle United into a new era. The Magpies sat 19th in the table when Howe succeeded Steve Bruce back in November of 2021. Since then, they have established themselves in the upper echelons of the Premier League, reached the 2023 EFL Cup final, and also qualified for the Champions League, edging out Liverpool to finish fourth.
Newcastle United were drawn in the group of death on their UEFA Champions League return with AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and PSG. They had the chance to qualify for the knockout stages heading into the final round of fixtures. But their 2-1 loss to AC Milan saw them finish bottom of their group and crash out of Europe altogether.
Despite being ravaged by injuries and down to bare bones this term, some believe that Howe and Newcastle United have regressed given the money spent since the Saudi takeover. This has led to reports that the Toon could move on from Howe, with the owners’ determined to take the next step. And Jose Mourinho is now a firm favourite among PIF’s decision-makers.
Jose Mourinho to Replace Eddie Howe?
The former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham manager has been with the Serie A side since the summer of 2021 and is a hugely popular figure among the Giallorossi fans, having led them to their first ever European trophy in 2022.
As well as claiming the UEFA Europa League Conference title, Mourinho has guided Roma to sixth place in the Italian top flight in both of his seasons at the helm, and they currently sit fourth. Sacking Howe would be a shock, as it is way too early for the Newcastle hierarchy to hit the panic button and undo all the progress the club has made in the last couple of seasons.
The decision will not go down well with the supporters, who regard him as a cult hero and arguably their best-ever manager. But it is something that may be considered if Howe fails to achieve this season’s objectives, given the ambitions of the Saudi owners.
Given his long-time admiration for Newcastle and his connection with St. James’ Park icon Sir Bobby Robson, Mourinho may seem like a perfect fit on paper, although there would be concerns about his pragmatic style of play and the chaos “The Special One” brings with him everywhere he goes.
