Andoni Iraola betting favourite to be next Newcastle United manager

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Howe’s seven-second delay in answering a question about the motivation of his players was revealing afterwards, suggesting the head coach is at a loss to explain a dramatic downturn in form that has Newcastle closer to the bottom three than the Champions League places. As the fourth-longest-serving manager in the league, Howe has enjoyed good times as Newcastle boss, but there is a growing sense that the 48-year-old is reaching the end of a cycle. St James’ Park is no longer the fortress it once was. Indeed, the 2-1 loss to Bournemouth was the seventh time this season Newcastle have been beaten in front of their own fans in the league. Newcastle have also lost the defensive resolution that previously made them so difficult to beat under Howe, already conceding more goals this season (49) than they did in the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign (47). Newcastle have kept just eight clean sheets in the Premier League this season, the same number as relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest. In attack, Newcastle have struggled for any sort of consistency with Howe unsure of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa’s place in the team at the moment. Both summer signings started the defeat to Bournemouth on the bench. Newcastle are underperforming their expected goals (xG) of 49.5 this season, having found the back of the net just 46 times, but a lack of attacking identity remains an issue. Behind-the-scenes upheaval has not helped Howe, with Newcastle going through two different sporting directors, Dan Ashworth and Paul Mitchell, in quick succession. What’s more, Newcastle continue to bang their head on the glass ceiling of profit and sustainability rules (PSR), which has limited what the Saudi Arabian-owned club is permitted to spend in the transfer market. Over €250m was spent on new signings last summer, according to figures from Transfermarkt, but this was offset by the loss of Alexander Isak to Liverpool, which was a significant blow to Newcastle’s development as an elite-level outfit. Howe has moulded Newcastle’s squad in his own image and that in itself raises questions over his future prospects at the club. Is it time for a change to be considered in the dugout? Howe is odds-on to still be Newcastle manager for the first match of next season, but the final five games of this season would likely need to see a significant upturn in form for that to happen. At their best, Newcastle are a force of nature, as they play fast-paced football and hit opponents in quick transition. When Newcastle drop that intensity, though, they lack the control and nuance in possession to break down opposition back lines, illustrated by the fact that they are ranked 10th for big chances created this season. A list of contenders to replace Howe is beginning to form, per betting odds from Betfair. Andoni Iraola will be available this summer, with the Bournemouth manager leaving his current position at the end of the season. He is currently 4/1 favourite to replace Howe. However, Iraola would not be much of a stylistic change, considering his focus on quick transitions and counter-attacking football. Only Brentford and Manchester City (nine) have scored more counter-attacking goals than Bournemouth (seven) this season. Jose Mourinho (6/1) could become a very high-profile option, and current Fulham head coach Marco Silva (20/1) would seem to be a continuation of the style established by Howe over the last four-and-a-half years. Mauricio Pochettino (20/1), however, would represent a change of approach and could be available after the 2026 World Cup, when the U.S men’s team manager might be open to a new challenge in the Premier League. Pochettino favours a more proactive style of play that could be what Newcastle need to reach the next step in their development, as a team capable of imposing themselves against the very best. On and off the pitch, Newcastle appear to be facing a crossroads. Whether or not Howe is still in the St James’ Park dugout for the start of next season, Newcastle must bounce back from the disappointment of this 2025/26 campaign. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms