Ciaran Morrison

Sun 29 March 2026 8:00, UK

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Newcastle United must stick with manager Eddie Howe going into an important summer transfer window.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes the club should not even contemplate the idea of sacking Howe.

Newcastle look set to miss out on Champions League football next season, and have been knocked out of every cup competition.

Defeat against rivals Sunderland last time out leaves the Magpies in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with pressure increasing on Howe’s position at the club.

Howe is facing growing fan unrest at Newcastle, and the 48-year-old needs a strong end to the season before the club contends with a busy transfer window.

Newcastle ‘problems’ go above Eddie Howe

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Howe is a “crucial part of the project” at Newcastle.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks Newcastle changing managers is not the answer to their on-field problems.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “They’ve now got a chance to get it right, and I think Eddie Howe is a crucial part of the project, and it would be a massive mistake to even think about letting him go. 

“He’s putting his heart and soul into that club. The players have got all the signs. I think they really like him and I think they respond to him. But I think it’s above Eddie where the problems have been. 

“So I think you’ve got to give this group a chance for stability and a chance to really execute a proper summer transfer window. 

“There’s going to be a lot of rebuilding to be done, and so I think they’ve got to give them a chance. But changing at that level is not the right way to go about it.”  

Newcastle ahead of rival in Robin Risser transfer race

Sources have told Football Insider that goalkeeper Robin Risser is more likely to join Newcastle than Tottenham in the summer.

The 21-year-old, who has kept 10 clean sheets for Lens in Ligue 1 this season, could be available for £34.5million as Newcastle look for a new number one.

There is uncertainty over the futures of both Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale, and Risser is on Howe’s list of targets alongside the likes of James Trafford.