Howe says Saudi backers are fully behind Newcastle

TL;DR

Eddie Howe confirmed that Newcastle's Saudi backers remain committed to the club's ambitions despite a challenging Premier League season. He emphasized ongoing support from Yasir Al-Rumayyan and the Public Investment Fund, despite recent financial shifts in LIV Golf.

Key points

Eddie Howe believes Saudi backers support Newcastle's ambitions.
Newcastle is currently in 14th place in the Premier League.
The Public Investment Fund withdrew backing from LIV Golf.

Mentioned in this story

NewcastlePublic Investment FundEddie HoweYasir Al-RumayyanLIV GolfBrighton

Eddie Howe's Newcastle have had a disappointing Premier League season (ANDY BUCHANAN) (ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP/AFP) Eddie Howe said Friday he was certain that Newcastle's Saudi backers remain firmly behind the club's efforts to establish itself as one of the best in the world. The 48-year-old Magpies boss said he had held "constructive" discussions with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which holds an 85 per cent stake in the Magpies. Al-Rumayyan is also the chairman of the Premier League club. The PIF said Thursday it was withdrawing its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the season, plunging the future of the breakaway tour into doubt. But Howe said he believed Newcastle's backers were still committed to the vision they had when they took control at St James' Park in October 2021. Asked if he had been given any assurances about PIF's future financial support, Howe said: "No, and I didn't seek any either. "But I'd say that what came through was the determination to succeed and to continue to grow the club in every aspect. "The desire is unchanged, to try and get to the top of the Premier League, to try and win as many trophies consistently as possible.... They are very ambitious for the football club. Howe admitted Newcastle's Premier League campaign had been a disappointment after he twice guided the club into the Champions League and ended their decades-long wait for a major trophy last season. "They were challenging conversations, challenging questions, but that's all part of it," he said. "Those meetings, I've had that every year regardless of our league position where you'll be challenged and probed on certain decisions that you've made, how we've ended up in certain scenarios, and then you explain the process behind it. "This year, of course, slightly more difficult questions because of our league position, there's no getting away from that." Howe's own future has been a topic of intense debate in recent weeks following a run of nine defeats in 12 Premier League games, which has left Newcastle in 14th place in the table and eight points clear of the relegation places. The Englishman, whose team host on Saturday, insists he remains fully focused on taking the club forward. "I have to retain that confidence. I don't think that serves anybody not to have that long-term vision," he said. "But we need to win games." jw/pi

Q&A

What is the current status of Newcastle's Saudi backers?

Newcastle's Saudi backers, led by Yasir Al-Rumayyan, remain committed to the club's ambitions despite recent financial changes.

How has Newcastle's Premier League performance affected Eddie Howe's position?

Newcastle's disappointing performance, with nine defeats in 12 games, has led to intense debate about Eddie Howe's future as manager.

What assurances did Eddie Howe receive regarding financial support from the PIF?

Eddie Howe stated he did not seek assurances about future financial support from the Public Investment Fund but believes in their determination to succeed.