Newcastle's summer of upheaval has continued with news that manager Eddie Howe is leaving.

The stunning news broke on Thursday morning and comes the morning after their 4-1 pre-season defeat at Championship side Bristol City.

With Howe's four-year and eight-month tenure coming to an end, Daily Mail Sport has detailed that Al-Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle is the leading candidate for the role. Newcastle and Al-Ahli are both majority-owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

The 38-year-old German has held talks with the Newcastle hierarchy about succeeding Howe and has a track record of success despite his relative infancy into first-team management.

His first job only came in January 2021 when he was announced as head coach of Austrian second-tier side Liefering. With just a few months remaining of that campaign he guided them to second place - their joint-highest finish in their history.

That summer he replaced Jesse Marsch as manager of RB Salzburg and the 2021-22 campaign yielded success as he led the club to the domestic double of the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup titles. He also led the club to the Champions League knockout phase for the first time in their history.

Jaissle backed up that silverware with more the following term as Salzburg were crowned Austrian league winners once more. However, he was sacked on the eve of the 2023-24 season with Al-Ahli becoming his next destination.

Joining the Saudi club on a three-year contract, his success has continued in the Middle East - with the club winning their first-ever Asian Champions League title in 2024-25 and repeating the feat this season - with the likes of Ivan Toney, Riyad Mahrez and Edouard Mendy in his side.

His managerial success is the more remarkable considering it is not a career he desired. Having come through Stuttgart's youth system under Thomas Tuchel, Jaissle was a promising young defender at Hoffenheim - who were managed by Ralf Rangnick - before injury befell him. In 2009, the Germany Under-21 international suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear against Hannover and was never the same and eventually retired at 26 years old in 2014.

Reflecting on what could have been, he told Give Me Sport in December 2024: 'My knee injury was a shock. Probably the only advantage of it was that I could start management earlier.

'I am still young for a coach but have quite good experience already. I would still love to be playing, even at 36. I kick every ball when given the chance in training!

'I like to think I'd be in my last season now as a player if I was fit, but that's life, and I am grateful for the next chapter and the opportunities I have had so far.'

His pathway to management began when he was invited by Rangnick, then RB Leipzig's head of sport, onto a trainee programme within the club's youth department. The rest is now history.

Rangnick and Tuchel are two managers Jaissle looks up to as well as someone he could be facing in the opposition dugout next season in Tottenham counterpart Roberto De Zerbi: 'I have had quite a unique coaching path, eventually leading me here to the Al-Ahli job in Saudi Arabia,' he continued.

'I have always tried to be authentic as a coach and find my own way. Of course, I have influences. Ralf Rangnick played a big part in developing my ideas because I played under him for most of my playing career. And in my youth, I had Thomas Tuchel, so I have followed his principles and career.

'Then there's Jurgen Klopp - I often looked at the transitions he put in place with Liverpool. In possession, I like how Pep Guardiola finds structure and balance. And there's a lot to take from Roberto De Zerbi's build-up as well.

'It's a constant learning process. And in the next few years, I'm sure there will be a different coach to draw inspiration from. It's not about copying other coaches, it's just about being inspired by them.'

Speaking about his management philosophy to The Athletic in January, he said: 'I want stress on the opponent as soon as possible.

'And when we win the ball, I want to go as quickly as possible towards the opponent's goal. I'm very vertical in that approach.'

With key duo Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali having already departed, and with captain Bruno Guimaraes' future increasingly uncertain, Jaissle will have a big rebuild on his hands if he does swap Saudi for Tyneside.

And with all the turmoil going on at St James' Park, club legend Alan Shearer insists Jaissle will need time if he does take the job.

'It's being reported that Matthias Jaissle is set to come in. I think we have to be careful if that is the case not to pile on,' Shearer told Betfair.

'Clearly, he's got a great record in Saudi. Clearly, he's very young and inexperienced. The Premier League is a beast of a league. It's a big ask for anyone to come in and take over after what Eddie's done.

'I don't think it's a great look for what's happening at the minute with Newcastle, you know, it's like what's going on? We're selling all our best players. The fans are seeing [Alexander] Isak go, the fans are seeing Tonali go, the fans are seeing Gordon go.

'My guess is it's probably only a matter of time before Bruno goes, because he'll look at what's happening with all those players and look at what's happening with Eddie and think, 'Well, from a personal point of view, from his point of view, I guess I'm going to be next.

'It's certainly not a good look, and they'll have to navigate some tough waves coming their way now, because it's the unknown. I mean, if Jaissle does come in, you're asking a 38-year-old to come in and navigate very, very tricky waters.'

Buckle up, Newcastle fans, whatever happens.