Premier League boss tipped to replace Thomas Tuchel as England manager ‘focused’ on current club

Newcastle United are confident Eddie Howe will remain at the club even if England come calling.

The Magpies boss has long been touted as a future Three Lions manager.

Dave Shopland

Those calls have intensified despite Thomas Tuchel’s impressive start in the role in qualifying for the World Cup with a perfect record.

However, the German’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of this summer’s tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

As a result, Newcastle could face a battle to keep hold of Howe ahead of next season.

Chief executive David Hopkinson is not concerned by the potential risk of losing his manager, however.

Howe’s Newcastle future

Joining talkSPORT live from St. James’ Park on Wednesday, Hopkinson was asked if he is worried about England approaching Howe in the summer.

Hopkinson explained: “Look, Eddie has been a phenomenal partner to me since the day I met him, he certainly seems like a man very focused on what he’s doing at Newcastle.

“His work rate is incredible. I really like the partnership I have with him… Eddie consistently indicates to us how happy he is here.

“I see someone operating with high conviction, and look, I’m someone who pays a lot of attention to what people say, but I also pay a lot of attention to what they do, and I see someone very leaned in and very focused.

“Eddie is not in the room, but I know he’s 100 per cent devoted to what’s going to happen tonight in Manchester and I’m really happy with the job he’s doing.”

Howe has been in charge of Newcastle since November 2021, twice qualifying for the Champions League in that time.

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He also guided the club to their first major domestic trophy for 70 years last season by lifting the Carabao Cup.

Having reached the semi-finals of that competition again this term, Newcastle currently sit 11th in the Premier League.

When asked what Howe’s remit is for the ongoing campaign, Hopkinson added: “To maximise the potential of the squad he’s got.

“We haven’t given him a set target – achieve this, achieve that. He’s a deeply experienced, total professional, he’s going to go as high as we possibly can.

“He applies the same level of intention and attention to every match we play. Look, we haven’t given him a clear target saying ‘deliver this’, he knows what the ambition is and he knows what the target is.”

As for whether the club needs Champions League football, he said: “That’s a competition we’re very much alive in, we had a great match in Paris last week and on we go, off to Qarabag.

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“We’re doing well in that competition and that’s an important part of it.”

Following last weekend’s defeat to Liverpool, Newcastle are currently eight points adrift of the top four.

However, they remain in this season’s Champions League having finished 12th in the league phase.

The Toon Army are preparing to face Azeribaijan champions Qarabag in the knockout play-off, with Chelsea or Barcelona awaiting the winner in the last 16.