Eddie Howe's departure from Newcastle United is a deflating end to a glorious chapter in the club's history.
Howe ended Newcastle's 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the League Cup in 2025, oversaw a multitude of iconic nights in the UEFA Champions League and orchestrated Premier League finishes of fourth and fifth; the best the Magpies had achieved since the start of the century.
Parting company on the eve of a new Premier League season with a depleted squad is not how the former Bournemouth tactician will want to be remembered, but it should not detract from the body of work he's undertaken at St James' Park.
Only the late Kevin Keegan boasted a better Premier League win percentage at the club, and although he was the subject of growing discontent in the latter stages of his tenure, Howe will go down as one of Newcastle's greatest managers for what he's achieved during a five-year spell.
The 48-year-old is expected to take a break from football while he carefully considers his next steps, and we've assessed what might be on the horizon for Howe in the not-too-distant future...
Wait for the England role
Howe has long been touted as a future England manager.
He was linked with the role in 2024 following the exit of Gareth Southgate and although Howe insisted he was never interviewed for the vacancy, there is no doubt that he will have been on the Football Association's radar.
Howe's sudden availability has arose at a time when current Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel is still facing criticism for his tactical decisions in England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina.
The German, who inherited the reigns at the start of 2025, was hired for his tactical nous and ability to navigate the latter stages of a knockout tournament, but England fell at arguably their first major obstacle. Tuchel's subsequent comments about the DNA of English players failed to appease disgruntled supporters, but the former Chelsea boss retains the full backing of the FA and is expected to lead England's charge at Euro 2028.
It's highly unlikely Howe will be willing to take two years out of the game to wait for the England role and another Premier League role will beckon before he's linked to the national team hotseat again.
Premier League vacancy
There's been a managerial merry-go-round in the Premier League since the conclusion of the Premier League season with Oliver Glasner trading Crystal Palace for Nottingham Forest, Andoni Iraola moving from Bournemouth to Liverpool and Enzo Maresca stepping into the massive shoes vacated by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
There are new faces at Palace, Bournemouth, Fulham and even newly-promoted Ipswich Town, with Gary O'Neill taking the reins at Portman Road following Kieran McKenna's shock departure.
A Premier League vacancy before the end of the year is inevitable. Whether the gig is right for Howe remains to be seen...
Howe was linked with Manchester United on multiple occasions during his Newcastle reign and there's great intrigue as to how Michael Carrick will fare in his first full season at Old Trafford. The former central midfielder revived the club's fortunes to manufacture a third-place finish last term, but with UEFA Champions League football on the agenda, the upcoming campaign will be the ultimate test of Carrick's managerial credentials.
If results deteriorate, INEOS may not hesitate to swing the axe.
Everton are another intriguing proposition as Toffees supporters grow increasingly frustrated with the David Moyes regime - although West Ham supporters may scream "be careful what you wish for!" following the Hammers' subsequent demise.
Similarly to Newcastle, Everton's current squad requires significant investment if they're to realise their ambitions of challenging the upper echelons of the division, and certain investments have already looked questionable.
Then there is the start of Marco Rose's reign at Howe's old stomping ground, Bournemouth. Iraola is a tough act to follow, and while the German arrives with a glowing reputation as one of Europe's most meticulous coaches, there is no guarantee his methods will transition to the Premier League.
If Rose fails to live up to expectations, would Howe fancy a return to the club so close to his heart? The Cherries do feel a different beast to the one he departed in 2020 following the takeover by Bill Foley's Black Knight empire.
Venturing abroad
We've witnessed an increasing number of English managers venture abroad with Gary O'Neil and Liam Rosenior cutting their teeth in France, while there's the likes of Lee Johnson, Ed Still and Michael Beale competing in the Belgian Pro League.
With the greatest respect to the last three, Howe is in a different managerial stratosphere, but the ex-Newcastle boss may be inclined to test himself on the continent.
There is also the draw of a lucrative stint in the Saudi Pro League. The likes of Brendan Rodgers, Bruno Lage, Ange Postecoglou and Simone Inzaghi already manage in Saudi and given Newcastle are owned by the nation's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Howe will likely be an attractive candidate for many of the top clubs in the division.
