Missing out on Unai Emery has proven to be a sliding doors moment for Newcastle United.
While it was the current Aston Villa manager Newcastle initially turned to after sacking Steve Bruce, Eddie Howe eventually became the first head coach of the PIF era.
Since, the former Bournemouth boss has completely transformed the club.
After first steering them clear of relegation, Howe led Newcastle to a domestic cup final and back into the Champions League. Indeed, the 4-1 drubbing of Paris Saint-Germain has to be the highpoint thus far.
With that in mind, it’s not exactly surprising to see him attracting interest from elsewhere.
Howe has long been tipped to eventually become England manager but a recent report has shared some interesting insight.
Newcastle news: Eddie Howe could sign another new contract
According to The Daily Telegraph, the FA have added Howe to their shortlist as they prepare for the post-Gareth Southgate era, which could either be after Euro 2024 or in 2025.
Still, Howe is not thought to want to move into international football at this stage of his career and could yet sign a new contract at St James’ Park, despite only penning a new deal in August 2022.
Eddie Howe: PIF have huge plans for Newcastle manager
Way back in February 2022 and even before Newcastle had secured Premier League safety, Mehrdad Ghodoussi made quite the declaration.
Speaking to The Athletic, he confirmed PIF wanted Howe to be their version of Sir Alex Ferguson, in terms of long-term service at one club.
While that sounded somewhat far-fetched at the time, it’s certainly standing up to scrutiny. Howe was backed during a difficult time for the team before last month’s international break, such is the trust he has earned on Tyneside.
Clearly, there’s a long way to go to match Ferguson, which may well be impossible in the modern era.
Still, another new contract would be a fresh indication the club are willing to try and make that a reality.
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