FA chiefs reportedly suspect they will be able to reach a financial agreement with Newcastle United if they move to appoint Eddie Howe as Gareth Southgate's replacement. The England job could soon be up for grabs after Sunday's crushing Euro 2024 final defeat.
Southgate has twice come within one win of ending England's 58-year wait for a major trophy. Defeat to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final was followed by a fresh dose of heartbreak in Berlin, where Spain triumphed 2-1 thanks to a late Mikel Oyarzabal winner.
FA chief Mark Bullingham is set for post-tournament talks with Southgate, who could opt to leave the role he took up in 2016 after his latest Euros disappointment.
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According to The Times, Howe is high up on the FA's shortlist of replacement candidates. The likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter have also been linked, and the fact they're both unemployed means that, in theory, appointing them would be simple and cost-effective.
The same is not true for Howe, who has been in charge of Saudi-backed Newcastle for almost three years. A hefty compensation package would likely be needed to land the 46-year-old, but the FA are reportedly confident that an agreement is there to be made.
Howe led the Magpies to Champions League qualification with a fourth-place finish in 2022/23, before guiding an injury-plagued squad to seventh in the Premier League last campaign.
He previously took Bournemouth from League Two to the top flight over two spells on the south coast, with a brief stint at Burnley sandwiched in between. Profit and Sustainability Rules have complicated Newcastle's attempts to invest in Howe's playing squad since the start of last season.
And the upcoming departure of Magpies shareholder Amanda Staveley - Howe's main point of contact with the owners - could push him further towards the England job if the opportunity materialises.
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Southgate was asked about his future after England's latest final defeat. "Now is not the time for me to speak about that," he said. "I need to talk to the right people and give myself a bit of time. To get to another final... it was a privilege to have the opportunity. But to come up short is hard at the moment."
The 53-year-old added: "England are in a really good position in terms of the experience they have. Most of this squad will be around for the next World Cup and maybe the next Euros. There’s a lot to look forward to but at this moment, it’s not any consolation."
