Newcastle appoint Howe as they bid to beat the drop

Matthew Storey

LiveScore

Eddie Howe has been named as Newcastle's new manager

Newcastle have appointed Eddie Howe as manager as they look to secure their Premier League status.

The 43-year-old coach has been out of work since leaving Bournemouth in August 2020 after failing to save the Cherries from the drop.

He was not first choice for the Toon's new owners, with Villarreal chief Unai Emery rejecting the job last week.

But Howe is widely regarded as one of the best young British managers and will relish the chance to rebuild Newcastle.

He said: "It is a great honour to become head coach of a club with the stature and history of Newcastle. It is a very proud day for me and my family.

"This is a wonderful opportunity but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players.

"I would like to thank the club's owners for this opportunity and thank the club's supporters for the incredible welcome they have already given me. I am very excited to begin our journey together."

Howe watched the 1-1 draw with Brighton on Saturday alongside minority owner Amanda Staveley and has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at St James' Park.

He will be backed heavily in the January transfer market as the Magpies try to avoid relegation from the top flight.

But with a packed festive fixture list to come, the much-admired Englishman will need to get a tune out of the current squad before then to stop the five-point gap to safety increasing.

Staveley added: "We have been incredibly impressed by Eddie through what has been a rigorous recruitment process.

"As well as his obvious achievements with Bournemouth, where he had a transformational impact, he is a passionate and dynamic coach who has clear ideas about taking this team and club forward.