Newcastle legend Alan Shearer reveals his shock at Eddie Howe's exit and predicts club will have to 'navigate tough waves' this season

Alan Shearer admitted he was very surprised by the 'strange timing' of Eddie Howe's Newcastle departure and revealed he is 'led to believe it was Eddie's decision to leave' the Magpies just three weeks before the start of the Premier League season.

Speaking exclusively to Betfair, the Newcastle legend gave his immediate reaction to Howe leaving the club.

He said: 'If something was going to happen, you would have thought it would have happened at the end of last season so it would have given Newcastle time to prepare.'

'I don't know what's gone on, whether it was the end of last season, whether it was the summer, whether he feels they can't continue to sell his best players.

'I don't think it's a great look for what's happening at the minute with Newcastle. We're selling all our best players. The fans are seeing Isak go, the fans are seeing Tonali go, the fans are seeing Gordon go. My guess is it's probably only a matter of time before Bruno goes.'

Despite the sudden switch, Shearer was full of gratitude for everything Howe did throughout his four-and-a-half-year tenure at the club - referencing Newcastle's famous League Cup win against Liverpool last March.

'He gave me my best day as a Newcastle fan with that day at Wembley. He's given us some incredible nights in the Champions League that we'll never forget.

'He did a wonderful job for Newcastle, so it's a huge thank you to Eddie.'

Eddie Howe is waving goodbye to Newcastle after spending five years at the club

When Howe took over from Steve Bruce in November 2021, Newcastle were 19th in the league on four points after 10 matches. That season, he steered them to 11th with 49 points.

Since then, the Magpies have gone from strength to strength. On the rise, Shearer said: 'It's been an incredible ride. I think the job that he did was unbelievable from where he took us when he came, there was a real threat of relegation.

'He steadied the ship. He then got us climbing the league. He then brought in some wonderful players. He then took us to a final; we got beaten in that final, but then took us back again and gave us the day that we've so craved for.'

It's been widely reported that Al Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle will take over. The 38-year-old joined the Saudi outfit in 2023 and guided them to back-to-back AFC Champions League titles in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Despite his impressive record in Saudi, Shearer believes it will be a challenge for him to follow Howe.

Alan Shearer has spoken of his surprise at seeing Howe leave the club during pre-season

'Clearly, he's got a great record in Saudi. Clearly, he's very young and inexperienced. The Premier League is a beast of a league. It's a big ask for anyone to come in and take over after what Eddie's done. If Jaissle does come in, you're asking a 38-year-old to navigate very, very tricky waters.'

In terms of what's next, the all-time Premier League top goalscorer has no doubts that Howe will have plenty of options.

'He won't be short of offers. We know that, for what he's done and what he's achieved at Newcastle. There's no doubt that he'll have people knocking on his door from all over the world. So we'll have to wait and see what is next for him.'

But for Newcastle, who have very limited time with their new boss before the Premier League gets underway, they need to find some stability quickly.

Shearer said: 'I'd like to see Newcastle sign players, because it's alright having this bold new look of going for young, hungry players who are 30 or 40 million pounds. But also, the Premier League is tough. You need some experienced heads in there as well.

'There's no doubt this season's going to be a tough one for Newcastle. You can't keep selling your best players in the hope that you're going to get to where you want to get to. What I would like is stability.'