Newcastle United have officially announced the appointment of Matthias Jaissle as their new head coach, ending weeks of speculation following Eddie Howe's departure from the club. The 38-year-old German has already linked up with his new squad at their pre-season training camp in La Manga, southern Spain, after the necessary paperwork with his former club, Al-Ahli, was finally completed.
According to reports, Newcastle paid in excess of £9 million in compensation to secure Jaissle's release from the Saudi Pro League side, who were said to be reluctant to let him go. Jaissle had been working alongside the Newcastle squad since last Saturday even as the formalities were being finalised.
Jaissle arrives on Tyneside with an impressive coaching résumé. He guided RB Salzburg to consecutive Austrian league titles before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023, where he led Al-Ahli to back-to-back Asian Champions League triumphs. Notably, both Al-Ahli and Newcastle fall under the ownership umbrella of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which took a controlling stake in several Pro League clubs, including Al-Ahli, in 2023.
Speaking after his appointment was confirmed, Jaissle expressed his excitement at taking charge of one of English football's most storied clubs.