AS Roma boss Jose Mourinho would reportedly be “tempted to replace” miracle-worker Eddie Howe as Newcastle United manager at St James’ Park in the near future.
According to football journalist Dean Jones via GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle United are long-term admirers of serial winner Jose Mourinho and could look to capitalise while there is uncertainty over his Roma stay due to current boss Eddie Howe’s lack of experience in European competitions.
Jones told GMS: “I think that there will definitely be an allure that would have him tempted. I don’t really think Mourinho heading back to the Premier League is something I’d ever given a high chance of happening again, but it’s probably the one place I could see it happening.
“As a club, they’re going to seek that magic and person that can make something happen out of nothing. For Mourinho, obviously, there is something special about Newcastle. They have got a huge stadium in the middle of the city and it is a football-crazy place.”
Eddie Howe’s appointment in November 2021 turned out to be a brilliant move by PIF and one of their best decisions since taking over the Tyneside outfit. In less than 18 months, Howe has taken Newcastle from a team facing relegation to one that was recently featured in the Champions League.
Unfortunately, their Champions League campaign ended in bitter disappointment as the club suffered three defeats in their six matches to finish bottom of what was dubbed this season’s Champions League Group of Death. And it was undoubtedly a bitter pill for Newcastle and their aspirational owners to swallow to be left without any kind of European football.
But it’s not just in the Champions League where Newcastle have struggled, and four defeats in their last five Premier League games have seen the Magpies slip to ninth in the Premier League, while they were also knocked out of the EFL Cup in hapless fashion at Chelsea during the quarter-final stage.
Indeed, there are mitigating circumstances for their struggles, with their squad utterly ravaged by an injury bug. With pressure mounting on Howe, rumours have already begun to circulate that the board may be on the lookout for his replacement, and speculation that Mourinho is next in succession is refusing to whittle away.
The Portuguese coach is one of the most recognisable faces in world football after a stellar 23-year career in management that has seen him work for some of the world’s biggest clubs. Now in his eighth senior role with AS Roma, Mourinho already has plenty of Premier League experience, having enjoyed spells in charge of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, winning trophies everywhere bar Tottenham.
While Howe’s position at St. James’ Park is seemingly not under any immediate jeopardy, rumours linking PIF with an approach for Mourinho have rarely been far from the news since they took over.
And with his deal due to expire with the Serie A giants this summer, Newcastle will never have a better chance to appoint the 60-year-old, who shares an emotional connection with the Magpies’ through his former mentor Sir Bobby Robson and may not be able to turn down the lucrative opportunity.
