Newcastle United appoint Matthias Jaissle as head coach following Eddie Howe's departure from St James' Park

Newcastle have appointed Matthias Jaissle as their new head coach following Eddie Howe's exit.

The German has signed a four-year deal with Newcastle, who paid £9.5m (€11m) compensation to Saudi side Al Ahli, whom Jaissle led to consecutive Asian Champions League crowns over the last two years.

Jaissle has been with his new squad since the weekend and his first match in charge will be a pre-season friendly against Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday.

"When Newcastle United comes your way, you take notice," Jaissle said.

"The ambition of the club, the vision for the future and the opportunity ahead made this an incredibly compelling place to be. I have followed the club's journey closely in recent years and the progress that has been made is clear for everyone to see.

"I am incredibly excited about the future. I fully and unreservedly believe in this project, the ambition and the direction the club is taking. There is a clear vision, strong leadership and an exceptional platform to build on."

Before his successful spell in Saudi Arabia, Jaissle won two Austrian Bundesliga titles and a domestic cup with Red Bull Salzburg, while also leading them to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Newcastle described Jaissle as the standout candidate following a "thorough, rigorous and confidential" recruitment process, highlighting his track record of developing players, building high-intensity teams and his alignment with the club's long-term ambitions.

"His track record of success, leadership qualities and relentless drive to improve make him an exceptional fit for Newcastle United," said club CEO David Hopkinson.

The 38-year-old German played for Hoffenheim before embarking on a coaching career that took him to Denmark and into an academy role at Red Bull Salzburg. His first senior job was at FC Liefering, moving on to the top job at Salzburg in the summer of 2021.

Jaissle won the double in his first season and retained the league in his second. He worked with Karim Adeyemi and Benjamin Sesko at Salzburg, competing in the Champions League, before moving on to Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League in 2023.

He has spent the past three years there, winning the Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong last year. But before that he spoke to Sky Sports as part of our Future of Football series for an illuminating discussion of his ideas and how he saw the game progressing.