Eddie Howe Says Newcastle Saudi Owners’ Desire To Reach Premier League Top Remains Unchanged

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe said the desire of the club’s Saudi owners to reach the top of the Premier League remains “unchanged” after a two-day summit at Matfen Hall in Northumberland this week.

Howe described the meeting as “challenging conversations” and said the discussions he attended were “constructive” and included chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and minority stakeholder Jamie Reuben.

BBC

BBC reported that Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Reuben were among those who flew in for the annual summit at Matfen Hall in Northumberland.

Howe told reporters, “The desire is unchanged,” adding, “It’s to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and consistently win as many trophies as possible.”

He also said, “I don’t think that will change while the PIF are our owners, part owners or majority owners. They are very ambitious for the football club.”

Sky Sports put the same message in Howe’s words, quoting him: “The desire is unchanged, to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and win as many trophies consistently as possible.”

The summit also fed into internal planning, with BBC saying Newcastle’s hierarchy talked of achieving goals by 2030 and that “an announcement is expected” on a new state-of-the-art training ground after a major capital investment.

The summit took place against the backdrop of PIF’s decision to stop funding LIV Golf at the close of the 2026 season, a move Howe said would not change the owners’ football ambitions.

Sky Sports reported that the Saudi backers’ commitment was discussed as the Saudis announced their decision to stop funding LIV Golf, into which they have ploughed more than $5bn (£3.7bn), at the end of the 2026 season.

BBC

CNA said PIF spent “more than $5 billion on LIV Golf since it launched in 2022” and that it would cut funding at the close of the 2026 season, leaving the breakaway circuit scrambling for new backers.

BBC added that although PIF is to withdraw its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the season, senior figures at Newcastle were informed “a couple of weeks ago” that the pullout would not affect the club.

Howe told reporters he had not sought assurances about future financial support, saying, “No, and I didn't seek any either,” according to Sky Sports.

ESPN likewise quoted Howe saying, “No, and I didn't seek any either,” and framed it as part of “constructive” discussions with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of both Newcastle and PIF.

In the same Sky Sports account, Howe explained that “everything of course is interlinked to income” and that “these things don't happen with the click of fingers because everything of course is interlinked to income.”

CNA also quoted PIF’s statement that it “remained committed to deploying capital internationally in line with its investment strategy, "including current and future investments in various sports as a priority sector.""

Howe’s comments linked the owners’ long-term planning to immediate performance demands, with multiple outlets quoting his insistence that results remain non-negotiable.

BBC said Howe stressed “the ‘determination to succeed’ came through from those above him in the meetings he attended on Thursday,” and it quoted him saying, “That will never change.”

In Sky Sports, Howe said he was “pleased by the level of support given to me” but still “understanding how football works and knowing we need to get results,” and he added, “That will never change.”

Chronicle Live, which published a transcript of Howe’s pre-match press conference, included his answer that “There’s no change in terms of the support and the infrastructure of how people are working,” and it also quoted him saying, “That will never change.”

Howe also addressed his own future and said he “never needed clarity in my head,” telling reporters, “I’m here, I’m working and I’m committed,” as quoted by CNA and echoed by Sky Sports.

CNA reported that Howe said, “I’ve never needed clarity in my head, in the sense that I’m here, I’m working and I’m committed,” and it added, “A football club has to do what a football club has to do.”

ESPN similarly quoted Howe: “I have to retain that confidence. I don't think that serves anybody not to have that long-term vision. But we need to win games.”

Sky Sports also quoted Howe’s framing of the meetings as “challenging conversations, challenging questions,” while saying the process was “exactly the same as it has been every year.”

While the core message from Howe about PIF’s commitment was consistent across outlets, the reporting diverged on specific ownership stakes and on the broader framing of the club’s situation.

Sky Sports said PIF “holds an 85 per cent stake in the club,” while GB News said PIF initially acquired an “80 per cent stake in 2021 before subsequently increasing their shareholding.”

Chronicle Live

ESPN also stated PIF “holds an 85% stake in the Magpies,” and it tied that figure to Howe’s review at Matfen Hall.

BBC described the summit as an annual gathering at Matfen Hall in Northumberland and said the PIF governor and Jamie Reuben were among those who flew in for the two-day meeting, while also stating that Newcastle were “14th place in the Premier League.”

GB News similarly said “The Magpies currently occupy 14th position in the table,” and it added that “A significant capital investment is set to be announced regarding plans for a cutting-edge training facility.”

Sky Sports and ESPN both referenced the club’s poor run, with Sky Sports saying Howe’s review came after a “disappointing season” and ESPN citing “a run of nine defeats in 12 Premier League games” that left Newcastle 14th.

The outlets also differed in how they described the meeting’s setting and participants, with Chronicle Live specifying that Howe, assistant manager Jason Tindall, CEO David Hopkinson, and sporting director Ross Wilson were part of the delegation around the Matfen Hall summit.

Even when quoting Howe’s words, the framing varied: Sky Sports emphasized the “long-term vision” and the need for time, while GB News highlighted the “determination to succeed” and the ownership group’s “ongoing commitment.”

The summit and Howe’s insistence on continuity came as Newcastle faced continuing pressure tied to league position and upcoming fixtures, with multiple outlets describing how results could shape what happens next.

“May 1 : Manager Eddie Howe said on Friday that Newcastle United's Saudi Arabian owners remained as committed as ever to the club's success, even as their Public Investment Fund prepares to cut ties with the LIV Golf series”

CNA

Sky Sports said Newcastle were in 14th place and that Howe’s future had become a topic of “intense debate” after “a run of nine defeats in 12 Premier League games,” leaving Newcastle “eight points shy of European qualification.”

CNA

It also said Newcastle were separated from the relegation zone by the same margin and that they faced Brighton at St James’ Park on Saturday.

ESPN similarly said the Magpies face Brighton at St James’ Park on Saturday and quoted Howe saying, “I’ve never needed clarity in my head [on the future], in the sense that I’m here, I’m working and I’m committed.”

Mirror reported that Howe warned “talk is cheap” and said he was “under no illusions of the importance of tomorrow,” speaking ahead of the Brighton clash at St James’ Park.

Chronicle Live described the media focus as dominated by what happened inside Matfen Hall and included Howe’s answers about whether he expected to be the club’s manager next season and whether PIF were aligned with him.

Beyond Howe’s own statements, Goal and other outlets introduced the possibility of managerial change, with Goal reporting that Newcastle’s board weighs Howe’s future and that talkSPORT said the Saudi owners were attracted to appoint a “world-class figure” to lead the club’s next chapter.

Goal also said rumors included exits by players such as Sandro Tonali, Tino Livramento, and Anthony Gordon, and it cited interest from Bayern Munich and Arsenal for Gordon.

In the same Goal report, AFP’s framing suggested that if the club needed to sell to sign, “some see a coach of Mourinho's caliber as the ideal piece to guide the transition,” while also noting alternative candidates like Roberto Mancini and Andoni Iraola.