Manchester United need a new manager. So did Chelsea, apparently. But would Eddie Howe make that kind of move, and if so, how much would Newcastle United get in compensation?
It’s been a crazy week in the Premier League, with both Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim essentially talking themselves out of their jobs.
Are you worried Man Utd could make a move for Howe after sacking Amorim? 👀
He would be crazy to go there!
In one regard, that’s great news for Newcastle United, as the instability and uncertainty at their Big Six rivals could hand the Magpies an advantage in the race for Champions League qualification.
But, there are murmurs of United looking at stealing Eddie Howe away from Newcastle. The fans would hate that idea, but could the financial compensation be enough to make it happen?
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How much Newcastle could net if Man United steal Eddie Howe
With other clubs circling Howe, we spoke to finance expert Adam Williams and he exclusively told Geordie Boot Boys what would actually happen if a club like Man United were to come in for the Newcastle United manager.
He said: “Typically, if a manager is bought out of their deal before the end of his contract, Club B sometimes simply pays Club A the remaining value on the manager’s deal. Alternatively, Club B reaches a settlement with Club A based on a number of different factors in a broadly similar fashion what we see in transfer negotiations.
“However, it is much more common for a manager to have a release agreement in the contract which specifies that Club B must pay Club A, say, a £5m premium on top of the remaining contract value if he leaves in the middle of his deal. That amount varies depending on the terms of the deal and how far into it the contract the manager is. It will be less in year four of a five-year deal, for example, than it would be in year two.
“We don’t know the intricacies of Eddie Howe’s deal, but we can very safely assume that it will include a release fee which is higher than the remaining value of his contract. That’s standard practice at this level.”
So, that’s the process outlined, but let’s get into the numbers behind it all. Turns out, if Howe was to move on, the Magpies would make a pretty penny, and then some.
Williams added: “From the reporting I’ve read, it sounds like Howe’s on about £6m annually and is tied down until for at least another two-and-a-half years, maybe three-and-a-half. So you’re looking at £15m plus whatever the release fee premium is, and that’s before you get to the costs of bringing his staff over, which he would presumably want to do.
“You then will likely have to pay a signing-on bonus, legal fees and so on. So I think it’s fair to say you’re looking at £20-25m.
“If you look at the levels of compensation other clubs have paid for managers, you could therefore be looking at a world-record if Man United were determined to get him. I don’t think that’s going to happen, however. He seems committed to Newcastle.”
Sound logic or stubbornness from Eddie Howe here?
He was NOT happy with the idea that Newcastle faced an ‘onslaught’ against Burnley!
Eddie Howe is not interested in other jobs
Funnily enough, Man United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt want Howe to take over. But, it sounds like the man himself has no intention of leaving Newcastle any time soon.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday morning, Howe was asked about the potential temptations of a club like Manchester United, and he put those rumours to bed quickly and comprehensively.
He said: “There is nothing at this current moment that would tempt me away. I’m happy and have a brilliant relationship with the owners, we have confidence and trust in each other; if you have those things you have a better chance of success.
“I’m very happy at the moment and hopefully that continues for a long time… I hoped for a sustained opportunity to stay in this job, but the main thing at first was staying in the league. Then, you have to keep changing and hitting objectives.”
Someone asked Howe if he can see himself staying at Newcastle for four more years. He joked he would be happy with four more games, before adding: “If you’re able to and you enjoy it then you stay. Four more years, I don’t know, but we will navigate this season first.”
We believe Howe is more than secure in his job, in terms of PIF’s opinion of him. And, with him clearly not having ambitions to move on any time soon, it looks like Howe will be here for a while yet.
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